“While this news appears devastating at this time, all of us – as a united community – will work hard to meet this challenge and provide a better future.””

Nadia Rajsz, Frank DeMayo, Joan Stoddard | Legislature Chair, Liberty Supervisor and Village Mayor

LIBERTY — The Frito-Lay food processing facility in Liberty was confirmed to be closing after its announcement Wednesday morning, February 19. Located at 89 Mill Street and operated by PepsiCo Foods U.S., the plant provides 287 jobs for Liberty locals. 

According to town officials, the plant’s final day is estimated to be May 21.

Liberty Supervisor Frank DeMayo was joined by board member Vincent McPhillips at the Town Board meeting on Wednesday saying that the closure will “have a real trickle down effect,” impacting the entire economic vitality around the town.

“I don’t know how our town survives this, losing  287 [employed] people,” McPhillips said. “It’s a bad situation.” 

Why close the plant?

Frito-Lay’s Liberty Plant Human Resources Manager, Matthew Carrero, said that while “the plant has played a vital role in producing our beloved PopCorners brand ... the pace of growth for this product line paired with broader industry pace of growth has made it difficult to sustain the site’s long-term viability.”

Carrero went on to say “we deeply appreciate the contributions of our Liberty employees, and this decision does not diminish the value of their hard work and dedication. We have notified our workforce and will be working closely with our employees and local community officials to provide a supportive transition.”

The Democrat attempted to reach Carrero directly, but did not hear a response by presstime. 

Carrero had become ingrained in the local economic scene by having a seat on the Sullivan County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, to which Sullivan County Chamber President and CEO Ashley Leavitt said the facility had been “an important part of our local economy, producing the well-known PopCorners brand and providing valuable jobs within our community.”

The organization had been a member of the County Chamber since September of 2016.

Affecting not just Liberty Sullivan County Legislature Chair Nadia Rajsz, Town of Liberty Supervisor Frank DeMayo and Village of Liberty Mayor Joan Stoddard jointly issued a statement on the closure Wednesday afternoon.

“We are deeply concerned about PepsiCo’s decision to shutter their Liberty food manufacturing facility, which has been an integral part of our community for decades and employs hundreds of locals. This action will have many impacts, which we intend to sort out with PepsiCo’s assistance in the coming weeks.”

Mayor of the Village of Liberty Joan Stoddard told the Democrat that while PepsiCo will continue to pay taxes on the building itself, the impact of losing hundreds of employees, who is turn, spread commerce at local shops and restaurants, will be felt throughout the whole community.

“While this news appears devastating at this time, all of us - as a united community - will work hard to meet this challenge and provide a better future,” the joint statement continued.

Sullivan County, the Town of Liberty, the Village of Liberty and partners like the Chamber of Commerce and Partnership for Economic Development said they will be assisting the impacted workers in every way they can, including by providing needed services to individuals and families and offering the full support of our Center for Workforce Development in keeping our residents locally employed.

“We are surprised and saddened by the news that Pepsi Co has decided to shutter its Liberty Snack Plant, a plant that the Partnership was pivotal in locating under prior ownership nearly a quarter century ago,” said Marc Baez, CEO and President of the Sullivan County Partnership.

“The economic impact will be devastating in the short run as the payroll generated by the hundreds of employees that work there circulate directly into local shops and businesses. Be rest assured,” Baez continued, “that the Partnership working with the County, Town, Village, Chamber of Commerce and Workforce Development is  fully engaged and will work to continue creating future economic development opportunities for the Town and Village moving forward.”