Covid-19: Flowers Foods temporarily closes Georgia bakery

US-based packaged bakery foods producer Flowers Foods has temporarily stopped the production activities at its bakery in Tucker, Georgia, due to the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

Headquartered in Thomasville, Georgia, Flowers Foods produces frozen, non-retail speciality and foodservice bread and bun items.

The company’s bakery products are available under various brands, including Nature’s Own, Dave’s Killer Bread, Wonder, and Tastykake.

The decision to suspend operations at the bakery was made by the company out of an abundance of caution, following an increase in the number of confirmed Covid-19 cases at the bakery, as well as self-quarantining over the past few days.

Flowers noted that it will pay to all its furloughed production employees and has asked the employees to shelter-in-place until the bakery resumes production.

The company added that its decision will not affect the quality or safety of the products manufactured at the facility while maintaining a small crew for sanitation and operation of a cross-dock.

Flowers Foods added that it intends to resume production on or around 27 April.

The company expects the closure would not create a significant impact on its ability to service the market as other bakeries in Flowers’ network are expected to offset most of the lost production in the near-term.

In November 2018, Flowers Foods signed a definitive agreement to purchase gluten-free baking company Canyon Bakehouse for around $205m.

Canyon Bakehouse provides a host of 21 gluten-free buns, bagels, breads, English muffins and speciality items.