Layoffs Announced For Highland Ultra Foods

Illinois-based Central Grocers Inc. is detailing the closure of the last remaining Ultra Foods store in Indiana that was not acquired at auction. In a notice to the state, the company says 139 employees at the Highland location will be out of work by September 15.

The majority of the jobs affected by the Indianapolis Boulevard store’s closing are clerk positions. Certain positions, including head meat cutters, assistant meat managers, seafood leaders and journeymen/apprentices, have bumping rights.

The Highland store, along with another Ultra Foods location in Kankakee, Illinois, failed to find a buyer at auction earlier this week. Details on the number of affected employees at the Illinois store have not yet been released.

In April, Central Grocers detailed planned layoffs for the Ultra Foods locations in Gary and Merrillville. However, the Merrillville store will remain open after being acquired by Indiana Grocery Group, which purchased the location, along with 17 Strack & Van Til stores, two Town & Country Markets, the Strack & Van Til headquarters in Highland and chain’s Valparaiso commissary.