Pearson's Candy Company to Shut St. Paul Plant, Cutting 80 Jobs

Pearson's Candy Company, owned by Promise Confections, announced the permanent closure of its St. Paul manufacturing facility at 2140 7th St. W. The plant will cease operations on September 28, 2026, resulting in the layoff of about 80 employees. The company cited a lack of financial sustainability as the reason for the shutdown and filed a WARN notice with Minnesota state officials.

The closure ends more than a century of local production; Pearson's has been making Nut Goodies, Salted Nut Rolls and other candies since 1909. Employees are represented by the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union, Local 22, which has filed a complaint with the NLRB over alleged bargaining issues.