Sara Lee to close Chicago plant, lay off 185

Downers Grove-based Sara Lee Corp. will close its Chicago kosher hot dog and meat processing facility and lay off around 200 workers sometime before the end of this January.

Sara Lee has decided to exit the kosher meat business, and discontinue processing and distributing products made under all of its kosher meat brands, including Best's Kosher, Sinai Kosher, Shofar and Wilno, the company announced late Wednesday.

The closure of the Chicago facility, located at 1000 W. Pershing Road, will result in a workforce reduction of approximately 185 employees.

In addition, the company will also close the Sinai Kosher outlet store located on the premises.

"This decision was made after careful consideration of our strategic, long-term plan, which focuses on categories where we have a strategic competitive advantage," said CJ Fraleigh, Sara Lee Corp.'s chief operating officer, North America, in a prepared statement.

"We value the contributions made by our employees and are working to help them prepare for the future by providing severance and outplacement assistance," he said.

Following the discontinuation of operations at the Chicago facility, Sara Lee Corp. intends to decommission the plant's equipment and place the facility and property up for sale.