Produce distributor to close, lay off hundreds

A longtime Howard County produce distributor will close in December as its parent company looks to consolidate operations. Lancaster Foods LLC in Jessup will close on Dec. 14, a move that could affect up to 424 employees, according to a filing with the Maryland Work Adjustment and Retraining Notification log this week. The distributor is a subsidiary of Houston-based Sysco Corp. (NYSE: SYY), which said it plans to consolidate the facility with another FreshPoint Coastal Co. facility it owns.