OAK BROOK, ILL. — TreeHouse Foods Inc. plans to lay off 150 corporate staff and eliminate a C-suite post as part of a previously disclosed plan to cut costs, drive operational efficiency and boost profitability and cash flow.

In announcing the moves, the private label food and beverage manufacturer said Scott Tassani, executive vice president, business president and chief commercial officer, is slated to leave the company on May 30, and his duties will be assumed by other senior leaders.

Oak Brook-based TreeHouse had unveiled its profitability initiative, which also aims to bolster quality and service levels, when reporting fiscal 2024 results in mid-February. The company said its latest actions include organizational changes plus further margin management and cost control efforts, with the planned job cuts from centralizing and restructuring corporate support functions.

“We continue to see significant opportunity to improve our execution and consistency, positioning us to better serve our customers while driving improved profitability,” said Steve Oakland, chairman, chief executive officer and president. “On our fourth-quarter 2024 earnings call, we outlined additional supply chain and overall cost savings plans, and the actions we are announcing today follow through on those plans.

“We are streamlining our organizational and cost structures, which we believe will enable us to sharpen our competitiveness in what remains a dynamic consumer environment. We continue to focus on better positioning the company to drive improved financial performance and value creation for our shareholders.”

Plans call for Tassani to assist with the transition and reorganization process until his departure next month, according to TreeHouse. He joined the company in early February 2024 from plant-based protein company Meati Inc., where he was president and chief operating officer for over three years. Before that, Tassani spent 29 years at General Mills Inc., most recently as president and chief commercial officer for the North America business and previously as vice president of sales for US grocery.

“I thank Scott for his partnership and contributions to the company and look forward to his support during the upcoming transition,” Oakland said. “We believe a more streamlined leadership and organizational structure will support faster decision-making and increased efficiencies.”

TreeHouse also gave preliminary guidance for its fiscal 2025 first quarter ended March 31. The company forecasts adjusted net sales of at least $792 million, within its earlier projected range of $785 million to $800 million, which it said would be down about 3.5% year over year at the midpoint. First-quarter adjusted EBITDA is now expected to be at least $52 million, above the prior outlook of $38 million to $46 million. First-quarter results are scheduled to be reported on May 6.

In addition, TreeHouse reaffirmed its full-year fiscal 2025 guidance for adjusted net sales of $3.34 billion to $3.40 billion, which would mark a 1% decline to a 1% gain year over year, and adjusted EBITDA of $345 million to $375 million, which would represent growth of 2% to 11%. The company noted its outlook includes a partial-year impact from its cost-efficiency and operational moves, with the full impact to be realized over the 2025 and 2026 fiscal years.

“Recall that management said in January that they were working on adjusting their cost structure to better match that of private peers,” TD Cowen analyst Robert Moskow said in an April 10 research note on TreeHouse’s operational changes and updated guidance. “The purpose of releasing the news today was to announce the elimination of their chief commercial officer role and assure the Street of first-quarter results ahead of market expectations.”

TreeHouse, too, commented on the US tariff situation. The company said customers outside the United States accounted for approximately 5% of its net sales in 2024, with almost all of those sales in Canada. TreeHouse added that “nearly all” of its finished goods comply with United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) trade pact.