North American Foods Potato flake plant in Grand Forks closing

Workers at North American Foods' dehydrated potato flake processing plant have been told that the operation will be closed March 15.

The company, previously RDO Foods Co., employs about 125 people at the plant.

Officials at the R.D. Offutt Co. corporate office in Fargo confirmed the closing plans. Offutt holds a majority interest in North American Foods, which is based in Lewisville, Idaho.

North American's potato processing facilities in Idaho and Nevada will remain open.

"In essence, there is excess capacity in the industry. This is part of the consolidation in the industry,"said Paul Noah, an Offutt official in Fargo.

A company memorandum given to employees Tuesday said the decision to close the plant "was a result of the company's ability to bundle resources and increase efficiencies to better serve customers."