CORNWALL, Ontario – While there has been no official word, the massive staff cuts announced today at Kraft Heinz includes some workers at the Ingleside plant near Cornwall.
Social media posts from an employee at the Kraft plant in the South Stormont village indicate some people are being walked out of the facility, presumably after being told they are surplus.
Later another employee, who wished to remain anonymous, told Seaway News some “management jobs” have been eliminated in Ingleside.
Nothing has been confirmed by Kraft Heinz concerning the specifics of Wednesday’s announcement that 2,500 employees in both Canada and the U.S. will be let go.
An Ingleside worker estimated as many as nine people were let go at that plant.
Other reports indicate the affected workers are mostly salaried employees who do not work on the factory floor.
South Stormont Mayor Jim Bancroft indicated he had heard some rumours from Kraft employees “but nothing worth repeating.”
Michael Mullen, a Kraft Heinz spokesperson, sent the following when reached by Seaway News via email:
“The merger of Kraft and Heinz has brought together some of the most recognized and beloved brands in the food and beverage industry. Now, the thorough and detailed process of integrating our businesses and designing our new organization is well underway.
“As we work to build something special at The Kraft Heinz Company, the Leadership Team has examined every aspect of our business to ensure we are operating as efficiently and effectively as possible. We have developed a new streamlined structure for our organization to simplify, strengthen and leverage the Company’s scale. This new structure eliminates duplication to enable faster decision-making, increased accountability and accelerated growth.
“As part of this process, we have made the very difficult but necessary decision to eliminate approximately 2,500 positions across the U.S. and Canada. Of the total, approximately 700 employees are from the Kraft Heinz Company Northfield headquarters.
“We appreciate the many contributions our colleagues have made to our Company, and we are committed to treating all impacted individuals with the utmost respect and dignity throughout this process. We regret the impact this has on employees and their families. The Company is offering generous severance benefits with a minimum of six months and outplacement services to make this transition as smooth as possible, and to help impacted employees pursue new career opportunities.
“These necessary actions will better position the Company for future growth. Furthermore, these efforts position our Company to realize substantial synergies that will drive savings to be reinvested in our brands and products.”
