Packaged meals large Kraft Heinz stated Carlos Abrams-Rivera, the corporate’s government vice chairman and president of its North American enterprise, will take over as chief government Jan. 1.
Abrams-Rivera will succeed Miguel Patricio, who has been CEO since 2019. Abrams-Rivera will develop into president of the corporate efficient instantly.
“The transition from Miguel to Carlos displays the Board’s considerate succession planning and we’re assured that the Firm will proceed to speed up progress with Carlos assuming the position of CEO,” stated Jack Pope, lead director of the Kraft Heinz board, in a press release. “He’s an skilled chief with an extended tenure within the meals and beverage trade who has proven consistency and excellence in execution.”
Abrams-Rivera stated in a press release that he was “humbled and honored” to be appointed CEO. Abrams-Rivera joined Kraft Heinz in 2020 from the Campbell Soup Firm, the place he served as government vice chairman of Campbell Snacks. He had beforehand labored in quite a few roles for Chicago-based Mondelez, together with a stint as president of Mondelez Mexico. Abrams-Rivera began his meals profession as a senior model supervisor at Kraft Meals Group.
Patricio, who will now function nonexecutive chair of the corporate’s board, turned CEO in 2019, as Kraft Heinz struggled to come back again from declining sales and cost-cutting measures, together with the layoff of more than 2,000 workers in 2015. He had beforehand spent twenty years at Anheuser-Busch InBev.
The corporate introduced additional cost-cutting measures beneath Patricio’s management in 2020, when it stated it could lower $2 billion in costs over five years with plans to place the financial savings towards advertising manufacturers with excessive progress potential, resembling Heinz ketchup and Oscar Mayer lunchables. Gross sales have been buoyed during the COVID-19 pandemic, as customers loaded up on shelf-stable meals to prepare dinner at house.
The corporate, which is co-headquartered in Chicago and Pittsburgh, has three manufacturing services and three distribution facilities in Illinois. Kraft Heinz stated earlier this summer season it has greater than 3,300 workers within the state. Its downtown Chicago workplaces are positioned within the Aon Middle, and it additionally has a analysis and growth heart in Glenview. In July, the corporate introduced plans to open a distribution center in DeKalb in 2025.
The corporate posted web gross sales of $6.7 billion throughout the second quarter, up 2.6% in contrast with the identical interval final 12 months.
