A slump in sales has prompted Cabot Creamery to lay off 31 of its production workers. Cabot hopes to rehire the employees in its cheese and wrap production line in three to four weeks. Officials say this is traditionally a slow time for sales.
The company’s cheesemaking operation has expanded over the past decade. Ten years ago it had 40 to 50 employees. That’s grown to 130 to 150 people. Cabot vice president Jim Pratt says the goal is to rehire those who were laid off within weeks.
The company is continuing to expand. It opened a new cold-storage warehouse last year and expanded its factory space.