SPRINGDALE, ARK. — In a memo to Tyson Foods employees on April 26, Donnie King, chief executive officer, said the company would be eliminating about 10% of corporate positions and 15% of senior leadership roles. The memo said discussions with the majority of affected employees would happen this week.

"We recently announced structural changes and rightsizing of teams, which will allow us to operate with more speed, collaboration, and agility and focus on what drives value for our customers and consumers," a company spokesperson said of the corporate downsizing. "While these decisions are never easy, they are necessary, and over time, will make Tyson Foods stronger. Our team members remain at the heart of everything we do, and we are committed to providing resources and support to those affected."

Last October, the company announced it would move all its corporate employees to one location in Springdale, Ark. Before that, Tyson had corporate locations in Chicago, Downers Grove, III., and Dakota Dunes, SD, for various parts of the business.

During that announcement, Tyson said it had 6,000 US employees working in corporate offices and 118,000 workers at meat plants and warehouses.

Other information released in the memo showed that Tyson's efforts in automation would move into the engineering team.

Over the last year, Tyson has seen some changes at the executive level.

In August 2022, the company fired Chris Langholz as international group president. The next month, Noelle O'Mara stepped down from her position as president of the Prepared Foods business unit.

Stewart Glendinning took over O'Mara's position with John R. Tyson, the great-grandson of the company's founder, moving into the role of chief financial officer.

In January 2023, the company brought back Wes Morris as president of its poultry business.

Tyson also recently announced that it would close two poultry processing plants in Van Buren, Ark., and Glen Allen, Va., that would eliminate 1,700 jobs.