Keurig Dr Pepper Exec to Lead Hershey’s Confection Business

Executives continue to come at go at Hershey Co. Yesterday (Jan. 13) the company revealed Kristen Riggs, president of the salty snacks business, “is leaving Hershey after 20 years to pursue other opportunities.” Her job and another president-level vacancy from December have been filled.

Andrew Archambault leaves Keurig Dr Pepper to become president of Hershey’s U.S. confection business, a post vacated Dec. 12 when Michael Del Pozzo quit to return to PepsiCo, the company from which he departed to join Hershey just three months earlier. Chairman and CEO Michele Buck filled in since then.

For Riggs’ job, Veronica Villasenor was promoted from as vice president of salty snacks. She’s a Hershey veteran of 22 years. The company says she “brings a unique perspective from her roles in management, marketing and innovation from across Hershey's three business units – salty snacks, confection and international.”

Both appointments are effective Feb. 3. The announcement noted Riggs was instrumental in integrating the Dot's and Pretzel's Inc. acquisitions and scaling up the salty snacks business.

Michele Buck announced on Jan. 10 that she intends to retire from the company effective June 30, 2026. She’s been CEO since 2017 and chairman since 2019.

All this comes after December reports that Mondelez International was bidding to buy Hershey. If there ever was such a proposal, it appears to have been dropped by Mondelez. Despite being a public company, effective control is held by the Milton Hershey School Trust.

Back to Archambault: He was president of Keurig Dr Pepper’s U.S. Refreshment Beverages, which included Dr Pepper, Canada Dry, Core Water and Motts and which involved him in many strategic acquisitions and partnerships. He previously was KDP’s chief customer officer, and earlier had key roles Nature's Bounty Co., Bacardi USA and Coca-Cola Co.

Archambault admitted to joining Hershey “during a period of strategic transformation. I, like so many others, am inspired by this iconic company and its beloved brands and look forward to working with the incredible Hershey team to build for the future as we take this business to the next level of growth."