Former Tyson Foods employee turns layoff into opportunity

EMPORIA, Kan. (WIBW) - The closure of the Tyson Foods plant and the layoffs of nearly 800 workers have rocked the city of Emporia over the past year, but one former Tyson employee says the hardship, for him, has turned into a blessing in disguise.

The aftermath is certainly still being felt; the July 2025 Kansas Labor Report lists the city of Emporia’s unemployment rate as the highest of any city with a population over 25,000 (6.5%).

Jonathan Juarez, though, shares his story of resilience in hopes of inspiring others in the same situation.

Juarez has proudly called Emporia home since he was five years old, when his mom took a job at the Tyson plant. Years later, he became her coworker. So, when it was announced last December that the plant would be closing, he was shocked.

“Being weary about when our next check is going to be and such,” Juarez explained. “And that was scary, especially just seeing your loved ones and your mom and such just being so uncertain about what’s going on.”

It was difficult for Juarez to see his closest friends and family scrambling and unsure how to start over.

Luckily for him, outside of work, he’d taught himself how to detail cars, always dreaming about some day when he could turn this passion into a business.

Well, some day arrived when Tyson closed. That was the push he needed to start Krispy Detailing LLC, a mobile car detailing business.

“I just put my faith in and believed in myself, and I told myself, ‘If you don’t do it, who’s going to do it for you? If you don’t believe in yourself, who’s going to do it for you?”

Though it was nerve-wracking to start a small business amidst uncertainty, he applauds the entire Emporia community for their support, not just for him, but for everyone laid off that day.

“If you do work at Tyson, they know about you and they want to do the best they can to keep you and take care of you, like I can say that for certain.”

Juarez says he’d love to see the city he loves so much continue to grow and thrive, and encourages other young entrepreneurs to pursue their passions.

“It’s worth betting on yourself because you’re not alone, and people do understand how it is starting something from the ground up.“