Gottheimer: Families 'In The Lurch' As Fair Lawn Nabisco Closes

FAIR LAWN, NJ — Congressman Josh Gottheimer is the latest New Jersey official to speak out against the decision to close the Fair Lawn Nabisco plant in 2021.

Mondelez, which produces a collection of legacy snacking brands as subsidiaries, including the Oreos made in Fair Lawn, announced they would close the facility by the end of the year. Read more: Nabisco Plant In Fair Lawn To Close In 2021

"I am extremely disappointed by Mondelez’s decision to close their Fair Lawn facility, leaving the community and 600 families in the lurch," said Gottheimer.

"These hardworking men and women literally just put their lives on the line during the pandemic, never missing a day so that Mondelez could meet the skyrocketing demand for their products."

Operations at the Fair Lawn site — as well as a site in Atlanta — will end as soon as this summer, senior director of corporate and government affairs North America Laurie Guzzinati told Patch Friday.

One site in Richmond, Virginia, will remain the east coast hub of operations for the brand, and will take over the Oreo production currently being done in Fair Lawn.

The move is part of an effort to consolidate manufacturing operations to three sites across the country in what the company is calling "strategically-located owned-and-operated bakeries."

It will also mean approximately 600 people are out of a job.

Gottheimer joined state lawmakers Senator Joseph Lagana, Assemblywoman Lisa Swain, and Assemblyman Chris Tully, as well as Gov. Phil Murphy, in saying he was disappointed in the way things were handled. Read more: Lagana, Swain, Tully 'Condemn' Fair Lawn Nabisco Closing

"It’s unfortunate that the company didn’t consider the offer we presented to help them stay and rebuild their iconic facility and remain in the community," said Gottheimer. "We will all miss the smell of the fresh-baked Oreos and other cookies that has wafted through Fair Lawn for the past six decades."

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