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The Rl. Zeigler Company in Selma is being sold, according to a memo sent to employees this week.

A memo was posted on Social Media Wednesday as Ken Fiztgerald notified employees that the transfer of sale will take place in a few weeks.

“There will be a new business model for Zeigler which will be very different than the current business model,” Fitzgerald wrote.  “The distribution center will no longer be in Selma.”

Natasha Mitchell, one of the Zeigler employees, who got laid off last month, said on Social Media that she isn’t surprised this happened.

“They new this two weeks ago when they laid us off,” Mitchell said.   “Just makes no sense to me if the company would be sold why not keep all of the employees that already have knowledge of the job and its requirements.”

The memo continues that most of the current employees will be laid off on the transition date. Some shipping and maintenance will be needed beyond the date to transfer inventory and begin the process for closure of the Selma plant.

Selma and Dallas County residents reacted to the future closing all over Social Media.

“When successful small businesses grow beyond their roots, you can always bet that someone outside the original owners and community will take over,” Julie Rowell Lyons wrote. “The second generation went for cash and sold out. It’s all about the money.”

Added Jerry Bennett Hatfield: “I believe it was a result of absolutely terrible management and failed effort to sell much lower quality meat packaged and disguised as the finest quality meats money could buy under a brand we once trusted.”

The new operating entity hopes to hire some of the current Zeigler employees and they will be given information at a future date.

The Selma Times-Journal made multiple attempts to contact Fitzgerald, but calls were not returned.