Schwan Food Co. announces job cuts

Another sign of the times.

makeing ice cream in china now

Schwan's is a whole lot more than Ice Cream. I'm hoping our regular driver wasn't included in the cuts as that will mean that the jerk with the Thursday route will become our driver and than will be the end of our Schwan's buying. :(

High oil prices killing more jobs. Time to start drilling for oil in ANWR and offshore. Ya think????

No,
It isn't Oil Prices alone, The Schwan's Food Company is struggling to grow and has been for the past 15 or so years. Without growth and with the high cost of raw materials, the company will need to start cutting back to run leaner.
The last CEO (Lenny Pippin) and his friends did not do a good job of running the company. There was no accoutability and the there were too many chiefs. There are VP's of everything and that shouldn't have happened. Lenny also bought not 1, but 2 (count em) 2 pie companies, Edwards and Mrs. Smiths. While Mrs. Smiths was a good buy, the timing for both was a little late. The Atkins craze was going on, and it almost put Hostess out of business. So Schwan's goes and buys 2 pie companies? Hmmmm didn't seem to make much sense.
The sales force will be left in place although I could see them closing some depots and combining them. They have trouble attracting people, so there will be no cuts in the sales force at all.

Schwan trucks take gas and gas is bought from Exxon, so this probably isn't bad in the long run. Exxon should have to pay for this. Gobama!

I love Schwan's food. So, I'm glad that consensus seems to indicate that the sales force will stay put. Our driver knows us fairly well now and she has some good recommendations based on our past purchases.

The jobs that were cut I beleive were the CSS(Customer Sales Supervisor) slots. Those were people hired to work on the trucks and help the Route men sell. These are all gone, could amount to the 184 "sales" jobs lost.

They had problems but I think its the fuel prices thats killing everything. I know a lot of people that have left the company at all levels, it seems to be a mess. Its a shame becuase I loved my time with them, but its doubtful I would return anytime soon.

Joel New Orleans wrote:

The jobs that were cut I beleive were the CSS(Customer Sales Supervisor) slots. Those were people hired to work on the trucks and help the Route men sell. These are all gone, could amount to the 184 "sales" jobs lost.
They had problems but I think its the fuel prices thats killing everything. I know a lot of people that have left the company at all levels, it seems to be a mess. Its a shame becuase I loved my time with them, but its doubtful I would return anytime soon.

I think the business model is what isn't cutting it. Schwan's does door to door, during the day, with most households having two people working. They should move to an internet order model like Simon Delivers to move their wares, and give delivery windows with refrigerated crates. I am just never home to buy from them.

They do offer internet ordering. Which actually assures the products that you want. When they just swing by, there are always good chances that they're sold out of stuff that you might want.

In addition, they also come later hours, not just during the day. Our Schwann's gal usually shows up on payday Fridays at roughly 5 - 7 pm.

However, this type of thing can still be bad. With 2 people working, kids in the house involved in multiple activities, etc, we're pr'ly only home to meet her 1 out of every 3 normal stops.

Schwans jacked its prices up through the roof about 4 years ago overnight. They lost alot of business that way. This company is finished in todays economy, stick a fork in them.

So when is the corporate office relocating out of Minnesota?

Schwans does NOT run on FUEL. Propane tanks in all or most of their trucks.

Propane tanks NOT fuel from Exxon.

I am a proud Schwans Route Manager. Schwans is going strong and I am happy to be a part of the team. I have been with the company for over 5 years and my sales have grown each year. Our food is top quality and anyone who thinks it is "too expensive" has obviously not gone out to eat or shopping at a supermarket anytime in the recent past. As for Exxon being "evil," they are not. They deliver a reliable product for a fee. Sure they make a profit, are they not allowed to profit? What about the government who makes more proftit from the sale of Exxon gas than Exxon? How does the government help in exploration and refinement of oil? They don't genius. They only tax the hell out of the gas companies, who in turn pass the tax down to us in the form of higher prices. Think about this BEFORE you vote for Obama. Think and research this BEFORE it is to late!!! Government can not deliver on the promise of free health care for everyone. It's mathmatically impossible.

Just an extra note to study your past and see that giving controll to the Democrats will drastically increase taxes. Everyone loves to stick it to the rich guy. Well what happens when you are the rich guy? Not to much fun then, is it? If you want big government and big taxes, feel free to vote democrat. If you want to actually be able to see and spend the money you make in a way that you see fit, then vote Republican. It's as simple as that!!!

this company is coming to an end hopefully. that laqua guy is apparently a real jerk.

and the trucks run on propane. not oil.

This is what happens when fat cats don't know what is going on. All people lose their jobs but them. And when the fat cats do lose their jobs they get a gold parachute while the working man gets the boot to the curb. This needs to change.

During the Bush boy years we saw for the first time ever and economic growth WITHOUT A RISE IN WAGES. While multi-billion profits were being passed around among the upper class the majority of Americans were standing still.

So if you want to see a further ENSLAVEMENT of the American people VOTE REPUBLICAN. They will make sure you work your ass off so others can get rich.

Carnivore wrote:

During the Bush boy years we saw for the first time ever and economic growth WITHOUT A RISE IN WAGES. While multi-billion profits were being passed around among the upper class the majority of Americans were standing still.
So if you want to see a further ENSLAVEMENT of the American people VOTE REPUBLICAN. They will make sure you work your ass off so others can get rich.

YEA! And don't worry if you work hard and get "rich" the dems will take it anyway.