Orange juice plant in Leesburg closing, 117 employees losing jobs

An orange juice plant in Leesburg is shutting down and 117 employees will be laid off as the company shifts its production operations elsewhere.

Cutrale Citrus Juices USA, Inc. filed a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) notice with the Florida Department of Commerce last week for the facility in question, which is located at 11 Cloud Street in Leesburg.

According to the notice, the company’s “primary business partner” has decided to move packaging operations from Leesburg to “their own facilities.”

The first phase of layoffs are expected to take effect on July 31, 2024. At that time, 101 employees will be let go.

The second phase of layoffs will take effect by October 31, 2024. At that time, 16 more employees will be terminated.

The terminated positions range from drivers to clerks, engineers, operators, and technicians.

Founded in 1967 by José Cutrale Jr., Sucocitrico Cutrale is still owned by the Cutrale family and based in Brazil.

Over the decades, the company has established itself as the one of largest exporters of orange juice in the world, with estimates suggesting the company products over 50% of the orange juice in the world.