On August 10, 2016, we announced the launch of Project Centennial, a comprehensive business and operational review. We identified opportunities to enhance revenue growth, streamline operations, improve efficiencies, and make investments that strengthen our competitive position and improve margins over the long term. We began Project Centennial with an evaluation of our brands, product mix, and organizational structure. We then developed strategic priorities to help us capitalize on retail and consumer changes. The primary objective is to improve margins and profitably grow the revenue over time. These four priorities are as follows:

The company is focused on reducing costs in our purchased goods and services initiative and our supply chain optimization plan. Purchased goods and services operations will be centralized to create standardization and continuously improve and to develop consistent policies and specifications. Supply chain optimization intends to reduce operational complexity and capitalize on scale. This initiative includes, and will continue to include, consulting and other third-party costs as we finalize the organizational structure. We incurred $0.8 million during fiscal 2019, $9.7 million during fiscal 2018, and $37.3 million during fiscal 2017 of these non-restructuring consulting costs.

On May 3, 2017, the company announced an enhanced organizational structure designed to provide greater focus on the company’s strategic objectives, emphasize brand growth and innovation in line with a national branded food company, drive enhanced accountability, reduce costs, and strengthen our long-term strategy. The new organizational structure established two BUs, Fresh Bakery and Snacking/Specialty, and realigned key leadership roles. The new structure also provided for centralized marketing, sales, supply chain, shared-services/administrative, and corporate strategy functions, each with more clearly defined roles and responsibilities. Transition to the new reporting structure was completed in the first quarter of fiscal 2019 and the company is now reporting our financial results in one operating segment.

We began relocating certain employees during the third quarter of fiscal 2017 as we transition to the enhanced organizational structure. Reorganization costs of $0.3 million, $4.2 million and $1.9 million for fiscal years 2019, 2018, and 2017, respectively, for relocating employees were incurred and are recorded in the restructuring and related impairment charges line item on the Consolidated Statements of Income.

On July 17, 2017, the company commenced the VSIP. The VSIP was implemented as part of our effort to restructure, streamline operations, and better position the company for profitable growth. The VSIP election period closed on September 25, 2017 and resulted in approximately 325 employees accepting the offer. The separations began on September 7, 2017, and were substantially complete by the end of fiscal 2017. We recorded an aggregate charge of $29.7 million in fiscal 2017 for the VSIP and a credit of $0.6 million during fiscal 2018. We paid $4.6 million during fiscal 2017 and $24.2 million during fiscal 2018 related to the VSIP. These charges consist primarily of employee severance and benefits-related costs and are recorded in the restructuring and related impairment charges line item on our Consolidated Statements of Income.

This initiative will focus on growing share in underdeveloped markets. Adjacencies are geographic and product categories that will allow us to leverage our competitive advantages. This can be done either organically with our high-potential brands or through strategic acquisitions. As of December 28, 2019, we cannot estimate how much this initiative will cost for restructuring.

This objective is to invest in our brands to align brands to consumers to maximize our return on investment. We expect to incur significant incremental marketing costs annually for brand development. These costs will not be restructuring and will be recognized as incurred. Project Centennial also included a brand rationalization study to identify high-potential and established brands to focus on innovation and cash flow, respectively. The study, which concluded in our third quarter of fiscal 2017, changed the outlook for several brands and resulted in the recognition of an impairment on certain of these finite-lived and indefinite-lived intangible trademark assets in our third quarter of fiscal 2017. The total intangible asset impairment charges during fiscal 2017, which are recorded in the restructuring and related impairment charges line item in our Consolidated Statements of Income, were $66.2 million. A second product rationalization study to identify specific products that would be discontinued within certain brands was completed in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2018. During fiscal 2018 we recorded a packaging impairment charge of $1.5 million because of the product rationalization study. A third brand rationalization study which identified certain regional brand products that transitioned to national brands was completed during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019 and resulted in an additional impairment charge of $15.4 million on certain finite-lived intangible assets. See Note 9, Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets, for more information on these charges. Project Centennial is expected to be completed by our fiscal 2021.

The following restructuring impairments (inclusive of property, plant and equipment, packaging, and spare parts and intangible assets) were recognized during fiscal years 2019, 2018, and 2017 (amounts in thousands):

	Fiscal 2019		Fiscal 2018		Fiscal 2017
Plant closure costs	$	5,133	$	3,156	$	3,354
Line closure costs		356		661		—
Spare parts		174		238		—
Brand rationalization study impairments		15,399		1,538		66,247
Total restructuring impairment of assets	$	21,062	$	5,593	$	69,601

The company recognized impairment charges during the first quarter of fiscal 2019 related to manufacturing line closures of $0.4 million. During the second quarter of fiscal 2019, an impairment charge of $1.3 million was recognized for a closed plant recorded in assets held for sale. The company also recognized an impairment charge of $3.9 million during the third quarter of fiscal 2019 for the Opelika, Alabama plant closure costs.

The company sold a closed plant in Winston-Salem, North Carolina during the third quarter of fiscal 2019, at which time an additional $0.2 million of spare parts write-offs were recognized. The company received $1.9 million and recognized a gain of $0.8 million at the time of sale. The impairment charges and the gain recognized are recorded in the restructuring and related impairment charges line item on our Consolidated Statements of Income as referenced in the table below. See Note 9, Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets, for information on the $15.4 million impairment charge for the brand rationalization study.

On November 6, 2018, the company announced the closure of a bakery in Brattleboro, Vermont. The bakery was closed during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2018 and consisted of a $2.5 million charge for property, plant, and equipment and a charge of $0.2 million for spare parts. An additional $0.5 million was related to a decision to sell a plant that is classified as held for sale. During the fourth quarter of fiscal 2018, the company recognized $0.7 million for closing various equipment lines at certain plants as a result of the supply chain analysis. See Note 9, Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets, for information on the $1.5 million impairment charge for the brand rationalization study.

On August 9, 2017, the company announced the closure of a snack cake plant in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The bakery closed in November 2017. The closure costs were $4.4 million and consisted of $3.4 million for property, plant and equipment impairments and $1.0 million for employee termination benefits during fiscal 2017. An additional $0.2 million was recognized during fiscal 2018 for equipment impairments. These amounts are recorded in the restructuring and related impairment charges line item on our Consolidated Statements of Income. See Note 9, Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets, for information on the $66.2 million impairment charge for the brand rationalization study.

The company recognized $2.0 million in severance costs related to other reorganization initiatives during fiscal 2017. These costs are not related to the VSIP and were made pursuant to the company’s normal severance policies.

The table below presents the components of costs associated with Project Centennial (amounts in thousands):

	Fiscal 2019			Fiscal 2018			Fiscal 2017
Restructuring and related impairment charges:
Reorganization costs	$	253		$	4,209		$	1,925
VSIP		—			(606	)		29,665
Impairment of assets		21,062			5,593			69,601
Gain on bakery sale		(833	)		—			—
Employee termination benefits		3,042			571			2,939
Restructuring and related impairment charges (1)		23,524			9,767			104,130
Project Centennial implementation costs (2)		784			9,723			37,306
Total Project Centennial restructuring and implementation costs	$	24,308		$	19,490		$	141,436

The table below presents the components of, and changes in, our restructuring accruals (amounts in thousands):

	VSIP			Employee termination benefits⁽¹⁾			Reorganization costs⁽²⁾			Total
Liability balance at December 31, 2016	$	—		$	—		$	—		$	—
Charges		29,665			2,939			1,925			34,529
Cash payments		(4,643	)		(2,471	)		(1,925	)		(9,039	)
Liability balance (3) at December 30, 2017	$	25,022		$	468		$	—		$	25,490
Charges		(606	)		571			4,209			4,174
Cash payments		(24,242	)		(812	)		(4,209	)		(29,263	)
Liability balance (3) at December 29, 2018	$	174		$	227		$	—		$	401
Charges		—			3,042			253			3,295
Cash payments		—			(1,819	)		(253	)		(2,072	)
Liability balance (3) at December 28, 2019	$	174		$	1,450		$	—		$	1,624