Interstate Bakeries to close South Carolina bakery next year

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Interstate Bakeries Corp. will close its bakery in Florence, S.C., early next year, the company announced Monday.

The 85-year-old Florence bakery, with about 200 employees, is scheduled to close Feb. 6, with its production being transferred to other IBC bakeries in Charlotte and Rocky Mount, N.C. The Kansas City-based company, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization in September, cited a need for more efficient operations.

"Closing a bakery is a decision we never take lightly," CEO Tony Alvarez said in a statement. "Our employees in Florence have been solid contributors, and we are grateful for their hard work. However, IBC must continue to seek production efficiencies on a national scale."

IBC, with about 32,000 employees, operates 53 bakeries, more than 1,000 distribution centers and 1,100 bakery outlets.