American food company Heinz said that it plans to eliminate about 600 jobs in US and Canada in order to accelerate growth, increase accountability, and facilitate faster decision making.
This move comes after Heinz was acquired by Berkshire Hathaway and 3G Capital for $28bn earlier this year.
About 350 layoffs will occur in Pittsburgh, where the company is headquartered. All the eliminated positions will be white collar jobs. Following the job cuts, the company will still have a workforce of 800 in Pittsburgh and 6,000 in North America.
Heinz senior vice president Michael Mullen said that the cuts will better position the company to support and fund its next move.
"Our new organizational structure will simplify, strengthen and leverage the company's global scale, while enabling faster decision making, increased accountability, and accelerated growth," Mullen added.
The latest job cuts come after a management shakeup in June, when nearly 11 senior executives left the company.
HJ Heinz is a global company that produces and markets foods specialising in ketchup, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant nutrition. The company reported sales of $2.83bn in the second quarter of fiscal 2013, up from $2.81bn in the previous year.
