NORWICH – A spokesperson for Chobani addressed community rumors about layoffs at their corporate headquarters in Norwich and the New Berlin plant. Chobani’s spokesperson said less than ten people have been laid off at corporate headquarters.
The Chobani spokesperson also said that the rumors about layoffs at the New Berlin factory and about plant closings are “completely false.” He said, “Actually, it is just the opposite. There will be new hires in the coming months.”
It is true that there has been a refocus at Chobani. The company has redirected its focus on growth and the quality of its yogurt. In pursuit of continuing their growth and refocusing their goals, some people and positions were let go.
Chief Marketing Officer Peter McGuinness commented on the layoffs at corporate headquarters in Norwich and said, “As we refocus our resources on the quality and distribution of our yogurt, we looked to streamline operations in areas that are not core to quality, production and distribution. Moving forward, we will be leaning on world class external partners to continue telling our story and interacting with our consumers.”
The Chobani spokesperson agreed that businesses often make changes to their companies in pursuit of future growth. “Our refocus of resources on quality production and distribution ensures that we are meeting our most important commitment: delivering perfect cups of yogurt, every time. This is the key to our future success,” said McGuinness.
The new corporate hires are in line with Chobani’s company refocus. This week – Chobani announced Andreas Sokollek as Senior Vice President of Supply Chain and Operations who will oversee all new product launches, production planning and materials management initiatives. Last month ­– Chobani announced Dr. Alejandro Mazzotta as Vice President of Global Quality, Food Safety, and Regulatory Affairs in support of the company's continued commitment to innovation. 
“We plan to announce new hires in the coming months that are focused on the quality, production and distribution of Chobani yogurt. We are expanding our investment in our core business and continuing to build a strong team for future growth,” said McGuinness.
The spokesperson for Chobani said that he wants to emphasize that Chobani has a “strong commitment to the community evidenced by the community charities and projects they are involved in within the community. (The Evening Sun recently covered the community center that we helped support and the Dollars for Scholars charity that Chobani has a part in).
As a policy – Chobani does not typically address rumors, but their commitment to the community encouraged them to ease public concerns. “These changes are in pursuit of growth. We want to make sure our growth continues,” said Chobani spokesperson. “Plants are ramped up and focused on production and supply.” Chobani is streamlining their business to focus on quality, supply, production and redistribution.
"Community members do not have to worry. Chobani continues to show tremendous growth, and the community will continue to benefit from that growth,” said Chobani spokesperson.