February 6/Solon, Ohio/PRNewswire -- Nestle Prepared Foods Company is relocating its Hot Pockets and Lean Pockets brand frozen sandwich and snacks business team from Englewood, Colorado to its headquarters location in Solon, Ohio, just outside of Cleveland. Frank Higgins, president and CEO of Nestle Prepared Foods, made the announcement this morning from Colorado. "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," noted Higgins.

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 the 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 last two years, Nestle has added nearly 170 employees in Solon, bringing total employment in this location to just over 1900. Nestle Prepared Foods Company also operates manufacturing facilities in Ohio, South Carolina, Utah, Arkansas, California, Kentucky, Massachusetts, and Virginia. Total employment for Nestle Prepared Foods Company is 7650.

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. "We've encouraged the Englewood team to travel to Cleveland and explore the housing and recreational opportunities in the region before making their decisions. I moved my family here about a year ago, and we are pleased to have found great quality of life - a wonderful home, great schools and an easy commute," added Higgins.

 From the February 7, 2012, Prepared Foods' Daily News.