Heinz announces layoffs of 600 office staff in US and Canada

The new owners of H.J. Heinz announced Tuesday 600 office jobs are being cut, 350 in Pittsburgh and the rest elsewhere in the United States and Canada. Employees were notified of the impending layoffs, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported. Heinz was acquired in February by Berkshire Hathaway, the investment company founded by Warren Buffet, and 3G Capital, a Brazilian investment group, for more than $28 billion. Cutbacks had been expected. "As part of our transition to a private company, the senior leadership team has examined every piece of our business to better position Heinz for accelerated growth in a very competitive global market," Michael Mullen, senior vice president of corporate and government affairs, said. Mullen said the layoffs all involve salaried workers but did not go into details. The company began in western Pennsylvania in the 19th century as a small food-packing operation run by Henry J. Heinz. It grew to be a worldwide food company known for its ketchup and its "57 varieties" of soup.