Nestle Moving Hot Pockets and Lean Pockets Brands to Solon

Nestle Prepared Foods Co. is moving two of its most popular brands from Colorado to Solon, a move that will bring new jobs to the city.

Nestle Prepared Foods CEO Frank Higgins announced Monday that the Hot Pockets and Lean Pockets Brands will move from Colorado to Solon.

Roz O'Hearn, a Nestle spokeswoman, said the businesses will be moved to Solon by April, but its unclear right now how many jobs will be coming.

O'Hearn said that about 70 people work for Hot and Lean Pockets in Colorado, and that the "vast majority" have been offered the opportunity to relocate to Solon.

"They have to decide now," she said. "We are inviting them to come to Solon and make their decisions in the next couple of weeks."

, a division of Nestle USA, is headquartered in Solon. The business includes brands such as Stouffer's, Lean Cusine and Toll House.

Nestle has an enourmous presence in Solon, and it's growing. The company has added nearly 170 jobs to the area in the last two years, bringing the total number of employees at more than 1,900.

Nestle also has plans to build a new research and development center in Solon.

O'Hearn said the types of jobs coming to Solon with the two brands include marketing, product development, finance, human resources and others. The new brands will be housed in facilities Nestle already uses in Solon.

The actual production of the Pockets brands will remain in two factories, one in California and the other in Kentucky, O'Hearn said.