Niagara Bottling Cuts 85 Jobs in Ocala
Niagara Bottling is laying off 85 employees tied to its Ocala, Florida facility as it reduces production and volume.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Jobs — General
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Niagara Bottling filed a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification with the state for 85 job cuts tied to its Ocala, Florida facility, including remote employees administratively associated with the site. The company is also closing a Plymouth, Michigan facility affecting 86 employees.
Why it matters
The cuts follow Niagara's decision to reduce production and volume, a move that reaches beyond Ocala as the company consolidates operations across several states. For Ocala residents, the layoffs remove jobs at a local bottling operation.
The WARN notice lists 85 Ocala-linked separations, set for phases on December 31, 2025, January 31, March 1, and March 31, 2026, measured against Niagara's $25.7 million acquisition of Silver Springs Bottled Water Co. in September 2025. The extraction does not disclose how many of the cuts fall on on-site versus remote staff.
The players
Niagara Bottling
Niagara Bottling, founded in 1963 and headquartered in Diamond Bar, California, is a bottled water producer that has expanded through acquisitions and new production facilities.
Miguel Gomez
Miguel Gomez is the director of human resources at Niagara Bottling who wrote the layoff notification filed with the state.
The details
Miguel Gomez, director of human resources, wrote the notification, which names separations in four phases beginning December 31, 2025. Niagara, founded in 1963 and headquartered in Diamond Bar, California, also opened a $141 million production facility in Elsmere, Kenton County, Kentucky, which created 60 full-time jobs.
Timeline
September 2024: Elsmere, Kentucky facility project first announced.
September 2025: Niagara acquired Silver Springs Bottled Water Co.
December 31, 2025: First phase of Ocala layoff separations.
March 31, 2026: Final phase of Ocala layoff separations.
September 2026: Niagara announced closure of its Plymouth, Michigan facility.
Roadmap
Ocala's cuts are filed under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification framework, which requires advance notice of mass layoffs. The notice arrives as Niagara shifts capacity from the Ocala site toward its newer Elsmere, Kentucky plant.
Workers in Ocala face the loss of 85 jobs in phased separations starting December 31, 2025, which leaves a defined timeline for job searches and benefit planning. Residents who rely on local employment should watch how the remaining Ocala operation is affected after March 2026.
The takeaway
Layoffs filed under a WARN notice typically arrive weeks or months before separations take effect, giving affected workers time to plan. Ocala employees can use the phased dates to prepare for the transition.
What happens next
Separations are scheduled in phases on January 31, March 1, and March 31, 2026, after the initial December 31, 2025 cut.
Further reading
Explore more on Jobs — General for context on layoffs and employment shifts in the Ocala area.
Source note: This article includes information reported by PlasticsToday.
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