Mozilla lays off 250 employees — about 25% of its workforce

The Mozilla Corporation, the company behind the popular Firefox browser, has announced it is laying off 250 people.

In an internal email now made public in a blog post, the company cited the coronavirus as well as a new focus on developing monetizeable products as the reasons for the redundancies.

“We are making significant changes at Mozilla Corporation today,” Mozilla Corporation CEO Mitchell Baker wrote in the email. “Our pre-COVID plan is no longer workable. We are also restructuring to put a crisper focus on new product development and go to market activities.”

“This is hard to internalize and I desperately wish there was some other way to set Mozilla up for success in building a better internet,” Baker added. “I desperately wish that all those who choose Mozilla as an employer could stay as long as interest and skills connect. Unfortunately, we can’t make that happen today.”

The company said it will permanently close its operations in Taipei, Taiwan, but more details about affected employees in the US and Canada will follow on Tuesday. Another 60 employees will be offered to switch teams.

Today’s announcement marks the second time this year the company has laid off a big chunk of its workforce. In January, the company let go of 70 employees, adding that slow rollout of products has affected its revenue. For context, the Mozilla Corporation reported it has a total of about 1,000 employees in 2018.