As companies reassess costs and restructure their workforces, the CEO of a 101-year-old American beverage syrup maker is making a case for retaining employees rather than resorting to layoffs.
Business Insider reported that Melanie Dulbecco, CEO of Torani said that the company has never laid off employees in its century-long history. She believes businesses can explore alternative ways to manage financial pressure without sacrificing jobs, arguing that retaining a skilled workforce can help companies recover from setbacks.
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Her comments come as Microsoft offers voluntary buyouts to eligible employees across select teams, reflecting the continuing changes in workforce management at major corporations.
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Microsoft has introduced a voluntary exit programme for eligible employees at internal level 70 and below in selected teams across the US, India, the UK and Canada.
The programme covers participating divisions, including AI experiences, Copilot, finance, human resources, Xbox, and Windows + Devices, while certain teams, including marketing, commercial business and security, are excluded.
Eligible employees have until early December to decide whether to accept the offer, with departures expected by the end of the year. Microsoft also announced around 4,800 job cuts in July as part of changes to its Xbox gaming business.
Torani's approach to workforce management was tested during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, when restrictions forced coffee shops and other beverage outlets to shut, hurting demand for its products.
The company was also dealing with debt incurred to build a new manufacturing facility in California. Despite the financial strain, Torani chose not to lay off or furlough employees.
Instead, it reduced marketing and advertising expenditure, paused business travel and asked departments to review budgets for non-essential spending. The company also expanded its online retail and grocery business to offset weaker demand from coffee shops.
According to Dulbecco, revenue fell 20% in April 2020 before recovering in May. For the full year, revenue increased 15% year on year.
Speaking to Business Insider, Dulbecco said layoffs were a choice rather than an inevitable response to financial difficulties. While acknowledging that companies facing bankruptcy might have limited alternatives, she argued that job cuts can undermine a business's ability to regain momentum.
Torani's employee-first approach also influenced its factory relocation to San Leandro in 2020. Before selecting the location, the company mapped employees' home ZIP codes to identify a site that would allow them to maintain reasonable commutes. It aimed to retain its entire workforce during the move and hired 40 additional team members that year, according to its published account.
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The company also uses artificial intelligence for market research, sales forecasting and demand planning. Dulbecco told Business Insider that automation helps improve efficiency and reduces the need for additional hiring.
In a September 2026 interview with Fortune, Dulbecco said Torani had averaged approximately 20% annual revenue growth over 35 years and expected revenue to exceed $800 million in 2026.
For Torani, the strategy centres on controlling costs while using technology to improve productivity without undermining employees' career opportunities.
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