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International food company McCain has turned down a request from Hawke's Bay mayors asking for a pause on the factory's closure while growers try to find a solution for a possible take over.
More than 100 growers are impacted by McCain closing its frozen vegetable factory in Hastings, a decision the company said it made after reviewing operations and being "unable to identify a sustainable pathway under the current model".
Central Hawke's Bay mayor Will Foley.
Last week, Hastings District mayor Wendy Schollum and Central Hawke's Bay mayor Will Foley wrote to McCain Foods requesting an eight-week pause on any major changes to the company's Hawke's Bay processing plant while growers explore the potential for an independent feasibility study into the future of the sector.
