Kraft Foods, Northfield, Ill., announced plans to cease bacon operations at its Kirksville, Mo., plant, consolidating bacon production to its Coshocton, Ohio, facility.

The transition is expected to begin between April and June 2015, impacting some 275 employees at the Kirksville facility.

“Since Coshocton is already dedicated to bacon and produces about two-thirds of the company’s total bacon volume, it is the most cost-effective site for consolidation,” says Joyce Hodel, spokeswoman for Kraft Foods, parent company of Oscar Mayer. “Going forward, this consolidation will make better use of our manufacturing assets and help us build a stronger platform for efficiencies, operational excellence and growth. This is not a reflection on our Kirksville, Mos., employees, who have done terrific work.” 

Kirksville’s ham department will not be impacted and will continue to run as normal.