This story by Sofia Langlois was first published in the Valley News on July 26, 2026.
WINDSOR — Blake Hill Preserves is preparing to move to an undisclosed location following a furlough of nearly 30 employees that may prove permanent.
Blake Hill Preserves, a family-owned company founded by couple Vicky Allard and Joe Hanglin in 2009, operated a jam shop, tasting room, kitchen and warehouse for a decade at Artisans Park in Windsor.
In March, the owners, who live in Woodstock, closed their shop to the public and temporarily laid off dozens of nonseasonal employees because they’d lost a large customer. Allard specified that company was being purchased and no longer needed their services. Allard declined to name the customer.
In 2024, Blake Hill took out a $50,000 loan from the town of Windsor to nearly double the size of its building. The company still owes $43,700 on the loan, with a monthly fee of $530 that the town’s assistant treasurer confirmed Tuesday has not been paid since December. The company also owes more than $4,000 in taxes.
Allard said the payments “would be handled appropriately in an orderly manner” but declined to comment further about the company’s debt. While she declined to say where Blake Hill is moving, she said it’s not in Windsor or any adjacent towns.
Despite being in debt, the company has kept up with online orders, which it is filling with products that were already in its inventory. In recent weeks, Blake Hill paused all its manufacturing to prepare for its upcoming move.
Now, Blake Hill is selling its 13,000-square-foot building to a “foodie business” that Allard declined to name, but she confirmed it will continue selling Blake Hill products in the store. The property at 60 Artisans Way is currently listed online for $1.75 million, and Allard said they have a buyer.
The new business will provide job opportunities in Windsor and will be great for Artisans Park and the wider community, Allard said.
The owners have decided to work with another manufacturing company to produce their jam and will no longer operate a facility on their own. Allard declined to provide the name of the manufacturing company or the terms of the agreement.
The collaboration and new manufacturing platform will offer “even better footing going forward,” with increased manufacturing capacity, she said.
Allard added that shipping prices from the new spot will not change and she anticipates minimal impact on customers. Though some products are out of stock at the moment, they won’t be for long.
“It will only be good news because we will be able to resume full-scale manufacturing, making all of the jams,” Allard said.
As for the furloughed employees, Allard believes many of them are likely not interested in returning because they’ve found other opportunities, and the new location isn’t within commuting distance from Windsor, she said.
However, Allard said they are reaching out to current and former team members to see if Blake Hill’s new plans interest them.
After the initial furlough, Allard provided guidelines to help staff members respond to questions about the employee downsizing, and she asked them to keep the guidelines discreetly in the jam shop for reference, as noted in a message obtained by the Valley News.
Allard clarified Friday that employees were not obligated to say anything about Blake Hill to members of the public.
“It was merely a guide to support team members, should they find it helpful,” Allard said.
According to a copy of the guidelines, which contained a question about layoffs, Allard included a reply that “no one has been laid off” but rather employees were placed on a short-term furlough, similar to how seasonal businesses are run. It specified that “everyone is being welcomed back over the next few weeks,” with a final return date toward the end of April.
But that didn’t happen.
“This was provided back in March when furloughs had just been announced and we very much hoped everyone on furlough would be invited back,” Allard said Friday.
In an email, Allard said the team is now down to four people: her, Hanglin, an employee in sales and an employee in fulfillment.
Production is slated to begin early in August at the new facility, with details available to customers in the coming days, Allard said.
