For some, Australia now beckons.
A Dunedin husband and wife who have worked at the plant for six years and 12 months respectively, said the closure had destroyed many of their colleagues' faith in the economy.
"All our skills are going out the door to Australia. Lots of people here are talking about going overseas where the grass is greener."
For the couple, in their mid-50s, emigration was not an option. Both were numb with worry:
"Finding work at our age? No-one wants to know us. Retirement is not an option for us either. We've got nothing to retire on. The worst bit is the not knowing. Will we get more work? Will we be able to pay our bills? It's a very stressful time."
Stacey Newall (24) gave up hairdressing to work at the plant six years ago and said she was "gutted" about the prospect of losing her job in an industry she had come to love.
"I love seasonal work."
In a triple blow for Miss Newall's family, her mother Maree MacPherson and her mother's partner, Mike Trsteeg, were now reviewing their future with the plant.
"I can see their reasons for wanting to close the plant and now we have to sit down and think these changes through," Mr Trsteeg said.
Workers said yesterday's meeting at the Lighthouse Hall in Green Island was frustrating, as they wanted to know what the final decision would be.
Peter Mason, of Dunedin, said he had five boys and a wife dependent on his income, " so I am not looking forward to going home and breaking this news".
He had worked at the plant for five years, and said it was unlikely he would move.
"We love it here and we want to stay [in Dunedin]."
Slaughterman John Burt (45), of Mosgiel, said he had been working at the plant for 10 years and had resigned himself to the closure after rumours began to circulate.
"It's the joys of working in the meat industry at the moment. Falling stock numbers have put the nail in the coffin for us."
Mr Burt said he was a single father raising two young children.
It was the second time he had been made redundant - he worked at the DMBA Abattoir at Burnside when it closed 13 years ago.
"It's not any easier the second time around. The next few weeks will be a hard time."
Mr Cooper said in an interview a forecast decline of two million in sheep numbers next year alone would have to be factored into the company's processing capacity, but that did not necessarily mean plants had to close.
Night shifts could be dropped or individual processing chains at works closed to match capacity.
He acknowledged the suffering of workers who had lost their jobs, and said the capital investment at two southern plants should give those staff some "security."
The company was investing $1.5 million at Waitane, near Gore, and $12 million has been spent at Finegand, in South Otago, on an effluent treatment system.
A biofuels plant was also being built there.
Agriculture industry restructuring had so far been left to PPCS, a move Mr Cooper said showed the company was taking a leadership role.
Alliance Group chairman Owen Poole said, when approached, that geographically his company's eight plants were well spread, and "Alliance has no immediate plans to do anything with a reduction in capacity".
The future of the sheep meat industry was discussed at a PPCS meeting in Oamaru last night, attended by about 100 shareholders.
Chief executive Keith Cooper outlined the company's vision, which included lower debt, improved profitability, fewer, more efficient plants, a link between suppliers and customers, a rebranding strategy, customer focus and an integrated supply chain from conception to customer.
Chairman Eoin Garden said the vision did not preclude pan-industry initiatives or involvement going forward.
