LEMOORE, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) - Leprino Foods’ Lemoore East plant will close in early 2026, costing more than 300 people their jobs. The company made that announcement to employees Thursday, giving them more than a year to find another job. The dairy processing plant has operated in Lemoore since 1910, supplying global customers and employing generations of families. Leprino East in 1946. Courtesy: Dave Costa Dave Costa is one such person. His father hauled milk cans to the plant in the 1950s, then Costa worked there for 35 years. Now, his son-in-law works for the company’s West Lemoore plant. “This is the highest paying job in the valley - one of the highest paying factory jobs in the valley, and it's going to be a great loss to the City of Lemoore… It's going to be devastating,” Costa said. He says the closure will not only impact the hundreds of employees who clip on their badges every day. He thinks it will also be a hit to the South Valley economy. “This is going to devastate the community of Lemoore… Not getting all these taxes that have been coming in over the years because of this plant, it's going to put a hurt on the city of Lemoore big time,” Costa said. In a statement acquired by the Hanford Sentinel and shared with Yourcentralvalley.com, a Leprino spokesperson said they are closing the plant because of “the facility’s age, anticipated capital requirements to make improvements to the facility and add or replace equipment and systems, high operating costs in California, the long-term milk supply outlook and the increased capacity due to the opening of our Lubbock, Texas facility.” Costa says he understands the company’s logic, but he feels for his friends who have worked for the plant for 25 years. “You work so hard all those years for your retirement and then all of a sudden, you know, they shut it down. That's who I feel for,” Costa said. Leprino Foods says they gave employees about a 14-month notice to help them through the transition. Costa says they have always treated employees well. But for those now updating their resumes, “I just pray for them,” Costa said. A Leprino spokesperson says the change will not affect the quality of their work, and they will continue serving customers until they shut down the silos and turn off the lights.