DES MOINES, Iowa — Hy-Vee is closing down two food production facilities it opened in 2018, impacting 461 employees, as the grocery chain moves production back to local stores.

A news release from Hy-Vee said the changes are being implemented to improve the quality of its fresh offerings.

The Fresh Commissary in Ankeny, where Mealtime items, sandwiches, salads, bakery items and take-and-bake pizzas are produced, and the Short Cuts facility in Chariton, where fresh-cut fruits and vegetables are processed, are the facilities affected. The company said the production from the Short Cuts facility will move back to the stores starting in May. Fresh Commisary items, along with bakery items, will move back to stores in May as well.

Both affected facilities will end operations on June 24th after the final shift.

Hy-Vee said it is “committed to assisting all impacted employees during this transition and is organizing hiring events to place as many employees at Hy-Vee stores as possible to best serve customers.”

The closed facilities will continue to be owned by Hy-Vee, which says it will explore manufacturing more shelf-stable products or repositioning the facilities for other uses.