The Little Village plant will be closed for sanitation for a period of two weeks.
Tortilla manufacturer, El Milagro, has temporarily closed its facility in Western Avenue following the death of a longtime employee to coronavirus.
The company sent a letter to employees over the weekend, informing them that the company had been notified of the employee’s death. According the company, the late employee hadn’t worked in their facility since April 9.
However, as noted in the company’s letter, the Western Avenue facility has seen two additional cases of COVID-19, with four other employees exhibiting symptoms.
Consequently, the company has decided to temporarily close its factory as it undergoes a thorough sanitization by a outsourced commercial cleaning service. During the two-week closure, the company will continue to provide its employees with full-time pay.
Evidently, the public got wind of the company’s intention to close their factory, as grocers across Chicago were “raided” for Milagro’s Mexican tortillas. With the temporary shortage, Milagro’s had to limit purchases to a box per customer at its flagship store in Little Village.
El Milagro Tortillas was founded in 1950 by Raul Lopez, a Mexican immigrant. The tortilla, tostada, chips, and taco shell manufacturer is one of the biggest in the midwest and a favorite at supermarkets across the city.
“We love El Milagro products,” said Vanessa Dremonas, an executive at Pete’s Fresh Market grocery chain, “their tortillas are our #1 grocery item. At some of our stores, we can sell up to 100 cases a week.”
El Milagro’s Little Village plant will be closed for cleaning until May 9.
[Featured image source: elmilagrotortillasoficial]