Suburban food firm cuts jobs

MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- Aurora Foods Inc.-- the company known for Duncan Hines baking mix and Lender's bagels-- said it has eliminated about a quarter of its corporate staff.

Company spokesman Chuck Dohrenwend told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch about the reductions but would not say how many people were being laid off. He said most of the job cuts came from Aurora's headquarters in the St. Louis suburb of Maryland Heights.

Dohrenwend said the layoffs included executives and administrative staff. At the end of 2002, the company employed 1,650 workers.

Aurora said the staff cuts will save the company about $10 million a year.

Dale F. Morrison, temporary chairman of Aurora, said the cash-strapped company needs to streamline operations. Aurora will take a pre-tax charge of $8 million over several quarters to cover the layoffs.

The company has been trying to pay down about 1.1 billion in debt.