Meadow Gold announces layoffs due to warehouse closures, distribution

Meadow Gold Dairies Hawaii LLC, reportedly the state’s last remaining dairy processor, plans to lay off more than 130 employees.

The Waipahu-based company has filed a notice with the Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, saying it is ceasing “substantially all of its warehousing and distribution operations.”

The company said it expects to partner with other companies, such as Hawaii Foodservice Alliance LLC or Pacific Provisions Hawaii, to provide warehousing and distribution services.

A total of 179 employees are covered by the notice period, with the first expected separation date being January 15. An attached production document lists 131 job titles per island of employees who will be permanently dismissed.

The affected locations include Waipahu on Oahu; Hilo on the island of Hawaii; Lihue, Kauai; and Kahului, Maui.

The positions to be laid off range from commercial truck drivers to warehouse supervisors and associates, loaders, merchandisers, sales representatives and pricing coordinators, among others.

They also include a costume character and a singing costume character, presumably Meadow Gold’s mascot, Lani Moo the cow.

The International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 142 represents seven of the workers on the island of Kauai.