CALIFORNIA — Braga Fresh, LLC, a grower and processor of vegetables headquartered near Salinas, notified the California Employment Development Department (EDD) that it would be laying off 260 employees effective January 14, 2026.

The company is permanently closing its facility following its acquisition by organic-salad brand organicgirl, LLC.

Braga Fresh produced both conventional and organic vegetables, offering salad kits, blends, and fresh-packed items.

Arable Capital Partners, LLC, an investor in sustainable food and agribusiness, announced in August that its portfolio company, organicgirl, LLC, had acquired Braga Fresh through a merger.

The company then completed a $140 million acquisition of Dole Fresh Vegetables.

California has seen several food-production shutdowns this year

While Braga Fresh’s layoffs are tied to the merger, California has also seen a wave of food-production shutdowns this year.

Companies across the state’s agricultural and manufacturing sectors have been consolidating operations and cutting costs.

Major employers — including Foster Farms with more than 500 layoffs, Blue Diamond Growers with about 600 job cuts, and Hearthside Food Solutions with over 175 layoffs — have announced plant closures impacting workers across the Central Valley, Sacramento, and Southern California.

The shutdowns span everything from poultry and nuts to baked goods and sugar-beet processing.

Mass layoffs require a WARN notice

The Braga Fresh layoffs were disclosed through California’s WARN Act, which requires companies to notify the state before major job cuts or plant closures. 

Braga Fresh’s filing outlined the closure of its Salinas facility and the loss of 260 jobs, offering early notice to workers and local agencies preparing for the shutdown’s impact.