HyLife is closing its plant at Windom, Minnesota, and has given notice to about 500 foreign workers that they will lose their jobs.
The plant is up for auction, but it’s not clear whether any bids were placed on Friday.
The workers are in the United States on visas that restrict their stay to working for HyLife, so they will need to return to their home countries.
The company has filed for bankruptcy, saying it is losing $6 million a month.
HyLife is a Canadian company with head offices at La Broquerie, Man.
It started as Springhill Farms set up by a group of Hutterite colonies, was sold to brothers Paul, Denis and Claude Vielfaure in 1994 and was named Hytek, then later changed names to HyLife.
At its peak it was the largest employer in Manitoba with 4,500 workers.
A business in Thailand bought into the company in 2019.
