Dundee Foods continues production moves

DUNDEE—Employment at Dundee Foods will be down to nine workers in mid-February, compared to 35 to 40 workers a year ago.
As previously reported, parent company LiDestri Foods is moving most production from the Dundee plant to a new facility in Rochester. Joe Ferrigno, LiDestri Foods general manager, said the company will have finished the last move in two weeks leaving nine employees at the Dundee plant. LiDestri Foods produces pasta sauces, soups, condiments, alcoholic beverages, cooking oils and cooking wines.
Ferrigno explained LiDestri was moving production because a number of people with manufacturing backgrounds live in Rochester. Treatment of wastewater from the industrial operation was also difficult for the Dundee wastewater treatment plant to handle.
Ferrigno said LiDestri will keep Dundee Foods open as long as it ”breaks even.” He explained the cold storage business and bulk cooking oil will remain in Dundee. However, the plant will no longer operate retail production lines.
“Right now the numbers look grim,” he said.
That is why LiDestri is looking into sharing the empty space at Dundee Foods. Ferrigno explained the company is talking with a few large wineries about utilizing the space.
“We need something there,” he said.
Steve Griffin, executive director of Finger Lakes Economic Development Center, said it is good space and could be used by anyone in the agricultural industry in general, not just wineries.