Aurora Foods Inc, a St Louis MO-based producer and marketer of frozen food brands, announced integration plans for the combined operations of Aurora and Pinnacle Foods Holding Corp. This will occur after its pending reorganization under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code and its merger with Pinnacle Foods.
The new management team, led by Pinnacle chief executive officer, C Dean Metropolous, plans to consolidate corporate functions at Pinnacle headquarters in Mountain Lakes NJ and Cherry Hill NJ, closing Aurora facilities in St Louis. Aurora's plant operations in Erie PA, Jackson TN, Matoon IL, and St Elmo IL should remain in operation after the merger.
Most of Aurora's St Louis employees will lose their jobs. Terminated employees will receive severance payments based upon contractual obligations or length of service.
The Delaware Bankruptcy Court has scheduled a confirmation hearing on Aurora's reorganization plan for Feb 17, 2004.