Hood
Produces fresh dairy products since 1846
Machine Tender
About the job
- A high school diploma or equivalent is required.
- Basic math and computer skills are required.
- Ability to work independently and within a group or team atmosphere is required.
- Good organizational and time management skills are required.
- Ability to stand for 6–8 hours, walk occasionally, bend frequently, and perform frequent wrist and spine twisting is required.
- Ability to lift less than 50 pounds frequently and more than 50 pounds occasionally is required.
- Ability to carry 30–50 pounds frequently for distances of 15 yards and push or pull more than 150 pounds occasionally is required.
- Completion of company training requirements, including Lockout/Tagout Awareness, personal protective equipment, powered industrial truck, and ergonomics training, is required.
- Maintain and operate support equipment related to filling operations, including the bulk can forming machine, filler, lid descrambler, vision system, banding system, check weigher, coders, inverter, bundler, variegate system, and ingredient feeder.
- Form bulk cans properly to continuously supply the bulk can filler.
- Add designated lids to the lid descrambler on scround and quart lines and ensure proper operation.
- Calculate usage rates and operate the ingredient feeder and variegate system according to standard operating procedures so the correct types and quantities of ingredients and variegates are consistently added to ice cream.
- Assist with operating banding machines and change rolls as needed.
- Disassemble, clean, and assemble ingredient feeders, variegate systems, and related equipment.
- Verify that metal detectors operate properly and complete documentation according to standard operating procedures.
- Operate the bundler to apply a consistent, quality wrap to containers and change rolls as necessary.
- Palletize product as necessary to maintain production, including during temporary breakdowns in hardening systems.
- Assist the filler operator during flavor changes and when problems arise to maximize productivity and work-center quality.
- Pack sandwich boxes into sleeves and ensure finished cases are properly coded and shrink-wrapped.
- Operate powered industrial trucks to move packaging and material into and out of work centers.
- Maintain a clean and safe work area and follow clean and safe work practices, including removing and disposing of trash and cardboard and removing and disposing of rework and scrap barrels.
- Follow company, state, and federal requirements and comply with good manufacturing practices, standard operating procedures, and other regulations.
- Work safely and responsibly, following all safety policies, procedures, and rules.
- Report unsafe observations or conditions to a supervisor or manager.
- Immediately report injuries or accidents to a supervisor or manager.
- Support Safe Quality Food requirements by maintaining food safety and quality, completing job tasks, and keeping the work area sanitary according to prescribed procedures.
- Report food safety problems to a supervisor or manager.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
About the company
Hood makes dairy products such as milk, cream, butter, and other dairy goods. The products come from dairy farms and are processed through pasteurization to kill bacteria and homogenization to ensure a consistent fat distribution, then packaged for freshness and easy use. Hood differentiates itself through a long-standing history starting in 1846, a focus on high-quality dairy and consistent taste, and a simple promise of reliable, fresh dairy that families can trust. The company’s goal is to provide fresh, high-quality dairy that tastes great and meets everyday family needs.
Company Size
1-10
Company Stage
N/A
Total Funding
N/A
Headquarters
Lynnfield, Massachusetts
Founded
1846
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Batavia’s $25.97 million 2025 expansion adds silos, CIP systems, and truck testing.
- Frederick County nearly completed its 2025 upgrade, increasing production for customer demand.
- September 2026 job postings in Arkport and Winchester show ongoing hiring despite closures.
What critics are saying
- LaBrusciano-Carris v. HP Hood filed November 7, 2025 attacks Planet Oat vitamin D claims.
- Barre closed in April 2026, eliminating about 70 jobs and shrinking legacy New England volume.
- Repeated plant consolidation invites union retaliation claims and customer defections if service slips in 2026.
What makes Hood unique
- HP Hood runs 13 U.S. plants and a national refrigerated dairy distribution network.
- Batavia’s 2025 expansion deepens ESL beverage capacity and cements Hood’s Northeast scale.
- Frederick County’s $83.5 million upgrade strengthens co-packing and private-label throughput in 2025.
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Benefits
Health Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
Wellness Program
Employee Discounts
401(k) Retirement Plan
Tuition Reimbursement
Company News
24 days to Golden Bean Denver. Golden Bean NA is a little less than a month away from running the largest coffee roasting competition in the world in Denver, and it is very exciting to see so many new businesses entering and getting involved. Golden Bean NA still have places available for coffee roasters to attend, take advantage of the full networking opportunities, and learn from each other around the judges' tables. There is no other coffee roasting competition where you can taste hundreds of different coffees from origins all around the world. One of its biggest categories is the Milk Categories, and Golden Bean NA has been very fortunate to partner with one of the USA's largest milk producers, HP Hood. This Boston-based business has been around for over 180 years. HP Hood makes many products, from dairy milk, ice cream and creamers to plant-based milks, dips and spreads, with products available in most major retail supermarket chains. Golden Bean NA chose HP Hood because of the consistency of its dairy, both in taste and texturing ability. Golden Bean NA needed a good milk that would not compete with the flavours of the coffee, and after testing milks from all over the US, HP Hood's milk stood out. Golden Bean NA also have a very good relationship with Planet Oat, another successful HP Hood product, and this is its chosen plant milk for the Alternative Milk Category. Planet Oat Barista steams and blends with coffee perfectly, and Golden Bean NA encourage its competitors to design their plant- based coffee entries to complement this oat milk. Remember, it's time to get your entries in! Log onto the Entry Portal by going to Goldenbean.com. Golden Bean NA also need to know whether you are attending, as Golden Bean NA is booking venues for the social nights and awards. Golden Bean NA also need lots of fresh palates to judge hundreds of entries. Golden Bean NA still have a few rooms available at the Art Hotel, where Golden Bean NA is holding the competition, and most of the evening functions are close to the hotel. Contact the hotel directly and mention Golden Bean as the code to receive the discounted room rate. The event officially starts on Tuesday evening, 29 September, with its opening drinks and presentation, and finishes on Saturday evening, 2 October, with the Awards Night. The Golden Bean team is excited to see you all and have a fun competition that supports its industry - and, most importantly, you, the coffee roaster. Sean Edwards - Head Bean
The closures of four dairy plants lead to worry in Vermont. Dairy Farmers of America's decision to shutter a St. Albans plant is just the latest setback for the state's $5.4 billion sector. A series of unexpected closures of milk-processing plants in recent months has shaken farmers and Vermont leaders. They worry that the sudden loss of local production capacity could damage the state's vital but fragile dairy industry, a $5.4 billion sector. "While we've had a steady decline in the number of dairy farms, we've not seen such a precipitous decline in processors like this for a long while," said state Rep. John O'Brien (D-Tunbridge), a member of the Vermont Milk Commission, which recommends ways to support the dairy industry. The HP Hood plant in Barre, which bottled milk under the Booth Bros. label, closed in April; 70 workers lost their jobs. In May, Dublin-based Perrigo announced plans to lay off 161 workers as it moves to close the Georgia plant where it makes infant formula by the end of 2027. In early June, the German owner of Franklin Foods said it would shutter the cream cheese plant in Enosburg Falls where 100 people worked. A new owner plans to open a smaller operation there. Finally, a week after that announcement, Kansas-based Dairy Farmers of America said it would lay off 81 people and "idle" the St. Albans Creamery, which it acquired in a 2019 merger with the local co-op that had operated in Vermont for more than 100 years. The creamery, known as a balancing plant, turned local milk into a variety of dairy products, including cream that was sold to the Ben & Jerry's ice cream plant across town. The co-op has agreed not to dismantle the plant while it arbitrates a claim by the Teamsters union that the closure was retaliation for a strike last year.
Vermont abruptly loses another factory as dairy industry rapidly spirals. The dairy industry has had a rough 2025...and unfortunately, the impacts are being felt locally across Vermont. It's no wonder that yet another Vermont dairy factory is throwing in the towel. More specifically, Vermont is losing a long-standing piece of its dairy heritage as a major milk bottling facility prepares to shut down, leaving dozens of workers without jobs and ending nearly eight decades of operation. HP Hood has confirmed it will close the Booth Brothers dairy plant in Barre, a move that will eliminate around 50 positions when production winds down in the coming months ths. The facility has been a staple of Vermont's milk industry for decades, bottling and distributing dairy products across New England. The shutdown reflects growing pressure across the region's dairy and food-processing sectors. Rising energy costs, packaging expenses, and shifting trade dynamics have made it increasingly difficult for mid-sized processors to stay competitive. Many companies are consolidating production into fewer plants to control costs and adjust to uneven demand. For Barre, the loss runs deep. The Booth Brothers plant has been a consistent employer and economic anchor for the area. Its closure means more than just the loss of fifty paychecks - it affects local haulers, maintenance contractors, and suppliers tied to the plant's daily operations. Vermont has seen similar challenges throughout its agricultural economy. Dairy farmers have struggled with volatile milk prices, higher feed costs, and changing market structures. The closure of one of the state's remaining bottling operations underscores how fragile the supply chain has become from farm to shelf. Unfortunately, the bottom line here is another Vermont dairy plant gone - and fifty livelihoods lost as the state's once-steady milk industry continues to feel the squeeze of rising costs and global market shifts. Coconut flour ebook. Learn the basics of baking grain free with my free ebook!
Hood plans to close dairy plant in Barre.
Dairy company HP Hood has nearly completed the $83.5 million expansion and upgrade of its Frederick County plant, which will allow it to increase production and meet future customer demand.