Production of Calgary's favorite high-end chocolate will be stopped for close to two months this summer.
The Bernard Callebaut plant on Macleod Trail usually closes for two weeks in July for maintenance and repairs.
Starting Monday, the production plant will shut for an additional five weeks.
About 30 percent of the production staff will also be laid off.
"We had the choice, like we have to lay off permanently the staff or we shut down for a short period and keep everyone employed. So everyone is coming back no later than August and I expect that actually a lot of them will come back sooner." says Callebaut.
In 2008, the company had a record year but the recession means sales of luxury chocolate have dropped.
Callebaut says the scale-back will only impact the production line not the stores. All retail locations in Calgary will have regular hours of operation.
