FORT KENT – NorSun Food Group’s employees learned Tuesday that the company’s potato processing plant in Fort Kent would be shut down.

Linda Pennington, NorSun’s president and chief executive officer, met with the employees and attributed the closure to declining sales of potato products because of the popularity of low-carbohydrate diets.

NorSun is based in Idaho and processes and supplies specialty roasted, baked and water-blanched potatoes. It processes red, gold, white, russet, sweet and organic potatoes. It has operated the Fort Kent plant since 1999.