MEDFORD — Anheuser-Busch has notified the state that it plans to lay off nearly 200 workers at a Medford facility in the coming months. However, some of those workers could find jobs under new ownership.
The Budweiser brewer announced last week that it would transfer its wholesale operation at 440 Riverside Ave. to Quality Beverage.
“We continually evaluate our operational footprint to ensure that our entire system is set up for long-term success. The transition of these operations ensures that Anheuser-Busch and our network of independent distributors continue to drive growth of our iconic brand portfolio while providing world-class service to our Massachusetts retail customers,” said Simon Wuestenberg, Anheuser-Busch’s chief sales officer, in a statement.
Anheuser-Busch Warning in Massachusetts
Anheuser-Busch filed a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification, or WARN notice, with Massachusetts, saying 193 employees would be affected by layoffs. The layoffs were to begin in November.
“We are working with Quality Beverage to ensure a smooth transition for our operations, while fully supporting our local teams. As part of this ongoing transition, we expect to have some opportunities available to Boston-based employees on the Quality Beverage team,” an Anheuser-Busch spokesperson told WBZ-TV.
Quality Beverage, owned by Martignetti Companies, has distribution facilities in Taunton, Auburn and Chicopee and bills itself as “a leading distributor of beer and alternative beverages in Massachusetts.”
Last year, Anheuser-Busch hundreds of layoffs of employees in the midst of declining Bud Light sales.
