PHILADELPHIA — A Kraft Foods Inc. plant in Philadelphia that makes cookies and crackers was indefinitely closed late Sept. 9 following a shooting by a former employee that left two dead and two more injured.
The former Nabisco facility has 679 employees and generates sales of approximately $323 million, which would make it about the fourth-largest Kraft cookie and cracker plant in the United States in terms of dollar sales and fifth largest in terms of employees, according to the 2009 Baking/Snack Directory & Buyers Guide published by Sosland Publishing Co.
According to the Associated Press, about 100 employees were on hand at the time of the shooting.
“This is a sad time for the Kraft Foods family,” said Susan Davison, director of corporate affairs at Kraft Foods. “Thursday evening, Sept. 9, an incident occurred at our Philadelphia bakery. A manufacturing employee entered the building with a weapon and shot three fellow employees. This employee is now in police custody. We are saddened that two employees died as a result of this incident. Our thoughts and prayers go out to their families. The loss of a loved one is a great sorrow.
“We are working closely with the authorities as they investigate this situation, and our facility is closed until further notice.”