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Cargill has announced plans to permanently close its cocoa and chocolate facility in Hazleton, Pennsylvania, this summer, ending nearly a decade of operations at the site.

The company will shift production to other Cargill's North American cocoa and chocolate facilities and invest in new projects to support evolving customer needs. The closure will affect 102 employees, with Cargill stating it is working closely with impacted workers to provide severance benefits and job placement assistance.

“This decision was not an easy one as it impacts the employees, their families and the community at large,” the company said in a statement.

Cargill emphasised that the closure will not affect its protein facility in Hazleton and reaffirmed its commitment to Pennsylvania, where it employs more than 2,900 workers across its agricultural and food businesses.