Around 300 jobs within Wessanen's European operations are set to go after the Dutch food group set out plans to lower costs and improve profits.
The company will close a frozen snacks plant in France as part of the plans, which are expected to save EUR15m (US$19.5m) a year from 2014.
The programme will cost around EUR24m but Wessanen CEO Piet Hein Merckens said recent changes within the business and to trading conditions meant it needed to be restructured.
He acknowledged the "consequences" the revamp will have on staff but insisted: "The current performance and changed size of the business ... require us to take action to strengthen our position in the longer-term interests of our stakeholders."
Merckens said the move would "increase focus" and streamline the business. He also said Wessanen was "addressing low-yielding and non-performing activities".
A snacks facility in Duerne, in south-east France, part of Wessanen's Favory frozen business, will close in March.
Source:
http://www.just-food.com/news/wessanen-jobs-to-go-in-revamp_id121376.aspx
