Ronkonkoma's kitchenware manufacturer Mercer Culinary closes Long Island operations, lays off at least 35

Mercer Culinary LLC, a Suffolk manufacturer of cutlery and bartending supplies, has closed its doors following an acquisition of the brand last year, state layoff records show.

The Ronkonkoma-based company makes commercial grade chef knives, kitchen tools, bar supplies and apparel for the food service and home market. It laid off 35 of its workers and closed its local operations on March 15, according to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification from the state posted late last month. 

The company also manufactured Barfly Mixology Gear, a prominent brand of shakers, strainers and jiggers for bartenders and home enthusiasts. 

Officials with Mercer and its parent company, CFS Brands, did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Tuesday.

WARN requires companies with at least 50 full-time employees to file notice of a mass layoff or business closure 90 days in advance.

The company, located next to Long Island MacArthur Airport at 1860 Smithtown Ave., said in its notice the company would be laying off 35 of its total 45 employees in March after beginning initial closing plans in November.

Mercer Culinary, founded in 1976, was purchased by Oklahoma City-based CFS Brands, a manufacturer of hygiene, food service and health care products in February 2025, CFS Brands said in a news release.

"The growth of Mercer over the past 30 plus years has been incredibly satisfying to my brothers and me," Michael Wallick, founder and CEO of Mercer Culinary, said in a statement announcing the company’s sale in early 2025.

"It is a testament to the great staff we have assembled and their efforts to grow the business to where it is today," Wallick said at the time.

The company, which continues to run Mercer Culinary as a stand-alone entity within CFS Brands, owns such brands as Carlisle FoodService Products, San Jamar and Dinex, CFS said. The manufacturer employs 1,800 workers across its headquarters, seven manufacturing locations and 11 distribution centers globally.

"Mercer joins a portfolio of businesses and brands that are leaders in their respective markets," Trent Freiberg. CEO of CFS Brands said in a statement following its acquisition last year. 

"We are excited to work with the leadership team at Mercer, and we welcome all Mercer employees to CFS Brands," Freiberg said last year.