Ardo confirms 2027 shutdown of Groß-Enzersdorf frozen-veg plant despite aid offers

Ardo Austria Frost reaffirmed its decision to shut down the Groß-Enzersdorf frozen-vegetable facility in 2027, stating that the plant’s structural deficits cannot be remedied by the subsidies or other aid proposals presented by the Austrian government. The firm argued that such support would probably fail a European Commission state-aid review and would expose the company to legal and financial risks. Consequently, Ardo will not pursue further public-funding talks and will concentrate on negotiating a balanced social plan for the 190 permanent staff and 50 temporary workers.

While two Austrian investors have shown interest, Ardo maintains that any new owner would face the same high modernization costs, making a return to profitability unlikely. Government representatives, including Agriculture Minister Norbert Totschnig, Lower Austria Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner and Deputy Stephan Pernkopf, expressed surprise at the company's stance. The plant supplies frozen vegetables to brands such as Iglo, Billa, Hofer and Spar, and processes produce from roughly 270 local farms.