Kellanova's Steve Cahillane Named CEO of Kraft Heinz
Ahead of its split into two companies next year, Kraft Heinz Co. hired briefly unemployed Steve Cahillane as CEO, effective Jan. 1. For years, he was chairman and president/CEO of Kellogg Co. and held those same titles at its demerged company Kellanova until it was acquired last week by Mars Inc.
Cahillane replaces Carlos Abrams-Rivera, who will serve as an advisor to the company until March 6. When the split into two independent, publicly traded companies was first announced back in September, Abrams-Rivera was tabbed as CEO of the slightly larger sauces, spreads and seasonings spinoff, tentatively called Global Taste Elevation Co., with billion-dollar brands Heinz, Philadelphia and Kraft Mac & Cheese. Now Cahillane will get that job.
Cahillane also will join the Kraft Heinz board of directors. He said he is honored to be joining the company “at such a pivotal and exciting time… I’ve devoted my entire career to building brands, and the opportunity to do the same with Kraft Heinz’s iconic portfolio is a dream come true.
“I’m confident the planned separation will accelerate the company’s ability to compete and win in today’s environment and unlock the immense opportunity in front of us. I’m looking forward to working with the team to write this exciting next chapter together.”
Cahillane has experience splitting companies in half, having done that to Kellogg Co. back in October 2023. He became CEO of Kellogg in October 2017. In 2014, he was president/CEO of Nature’s Bounty Co. Prior to that, he spent seven years with Coca-Cola Co., most recently as president of Coca-Cola Americas, the global beverage maker’s largest business with $25 billion in sales. Prior to Coca-Cola, he spent eight years with AB InBev.
As part of the leadership transition, John Cahill, vice chair of Kraft Heinz’s board and CEO of Kraft prior to the combination with Heinz, will become board chair. Cahill will continue to lead the board’s separation committee. Patricio, current chairman, will continue to serve as a board member of Kraft Heinz.
The board will continue its global search for a CEO to lead the other company to be spun off, North American Grocery Co., with billion-dollar brands Oscar Mayer, Kraft Singles and Lunchables.
Last we heard, Kraft Heinz expects the transaction to close in the second of 2026.
About the Author
Dave Fusaro
Editor in Chief
Dave Fusaro has served as editor in chief of Food Processing magazine since 2003. Dave has 30 years experience in food & beverage industry journalism and has won several national ASBPE writing awards for his Food Processing stories. Dave has been interviewed on CNN, quoted in national newspapers and he authored a 200-page market research report on the milk industry. Formerly an award-winning newspaper reporter who specialized in business writing, he holds a BA in journalism from Marquette University. Prior to joining Food Processing, Dave was Editor-In-Chief of Dairy Foods and was Managing Editor of Prepared Foods.