PORTLAND, Ore. — Harry & David gourmet foods business is falling on even harder times.
The company said recently there were substantial doubts about its ability to survive, and on Friday it brought in a restructuring expert to run the company.
Harry & David suffered in the Great Recession because it relies on discretionary spending that's often the first to get cut from household and business budgets. The company had especially disappointing sales during the recent holiday season.
The company with about 1,000 employees has has deep roots in southern Oregon's pear-growing region. But it has had three out-of-state owners since 1986 and has taken on debt it's now struggling to pay.
