Nestle Prepared Foods Company, a division of Nestle USA, is relocating its Hot Pockets and Lean Pockets brand frozen sandwich and snacks business team from Englewood CO to its headquarters in Solon OH, just outside of Cleveland.
“We believe the opportunities for shared learning and continued progress—both for our employees and our business—are greater with all our teams working together,” said Frank Higgins, president and chief executive officer of Nestle Prepared Foods, who made the announcement.
Acquired by Nestle from Chef America in 2002, the Hot Pockets and Lean Pockets brands helped define convenient, delicious, and affordable American fare in what is now a $2 billion category of frozen sandwiches and snacks. More than 80 varieties are available nationwide in US grocer’s freezers. The products also are sold in Canada, Mexico, and Brazil and in France, Germany, Spain, and the United Kingdom under the Nestle-owned Maggi brand name.
In Solon, the Hot Pockets and Lean Pockets business will join a family of food brands including Stouffer’s and Lean Cuisine frozen meals; Buitoni refrigerated pastas and sauces; Nestle Toll House baking ingredients and refrigerated cookie dough; Libby’s 100% Pure Pumpkin, and Nestle Carnation milks.
Several Nestle USA corporate functions also are housed in Solon, where Nestle recently expanded by building the Nestle Professional Culinary Center and acquiring the former Keithley Building on Bainbridge Road, which now houses Nestle Business Services functions. Plans also are being developed to establish a global R&D center specializing in frozen and chilled foods research on 18 recently rezoned acres of property near the Nestle campus.
Over the past two years, Nestle has added nearly 170 employees in Solon, bringing total employment there to more than 1,900. Nestle Prepared Foods also operates manufacturing facilities in Ohio, South Carolina, Utah, Arkansas, California, Kentucky, Massachusetts, and Virginia. Total employment for Nestle Prepared Foods is 7,650.
As a result of this relocation, some positions will be eliminated as activities are consolidated within Nestle Prepared Foods. Other positions will move from Colorado to Ohio.
Nestle USA is part of Nestle SA in Vevey, Switzerland. For product news and information, visit www.Nestleusa.com or www.NestleNewsroom.com.
