I often write about changes in our economy, hiring, employment trends, and their local impacts. The recently announced closing of Pacific Natural Foods in Tualatin is a big deal – a really big deal. Their rapid ascension was a lesson in smart, aggressive, innovative growth for all to see.
When I started Integrity Staffing in the Fall of 2000, Pacific Foods was a target that every staffing agency wanted a piece of. They were up and coming, paid a whopping $10 per hour for production labor, about a buck or two more than others around town, and the vibe was very positive. They couldn’t seem to locate buildings to grow into fast enough.
Over the years, their expansion was mighty. They leased several industrial buildings on Tualatin Sherwood Road, Teton, and a large warehouse on Rosewood in Sherwood. Years later, they took over what was once the Nike warehouse on 95th in Wilsonville, spent a fortune retrofitting it for their specific needs, and developed a system of 24/7 trucking finished product from Tualatin to the Wilsonville distribution center, which explains the constant stream of Pacific Foods trucks you saw along Boones Ferry Road over these last several years.
Their growth was phenomenal, and the envy of so many other local businesses. For three decades (since 1987), it was a local, family-owned enterprise, with strong values, innovative and aggressive expansion, and always an eye towards community involvement. They did so many things right.
Most people aren’t aware of how successful their co-branding is, and quite often, the soy milk you see with store labels from a variety of food chains actually contains Pacific Foods products. Their soups and broths are also extremely successful as well.
When they were purchased by the Campbell Soup Company in 2017, the family business transitioned into more of a corporate enterprise, yet the amazing products kept being produced in Tualatin. And now we learn that is about to change.
While this news feels sad, it is certainly understandable that this decision was made, as the inefficiencies of having so many disjointed buildings and the necessity of constantly ferrying product from Tualatin to Wilsonville were decent make-shift solutions, but clearly, the math must have become clear that the costs could be better managed if all their operations were within one campus, much like you see with Reser’s Fine Foods in Beaverton.
Their closure will happen in phases, starting with laying off 120 workers in August, and more gradually until they finally shut down in July of 2026. The impact on our community will be significant. While many of their employees come from all over the area, many do live in Tualatin. Also, many vendors who have done business with Pacific Foods will certainly be impacted.
While it is true that all good things must come to an end, the nearly 40-year presence of Pacific Foods in Tualatin has been great for our community and a huge help to our local economy. They will be missed.
