Kraft Heinz Names Steve Cahillane, Prepares to Split into Two Firms

The Kraft Heinz Company announced on Dec. 16, 2025 that Steve Cahillane will take over as Chief Executive Officer on Jan. 1, 2026 and will join the board the same day, as the packaged foods giant prepares to split into two standalone public companies. Carlos Abrams Rivera, who has led Kraft Heinz since January 2024, will step down as CEO on Jan. 1, 2026 and remain with the company as an adviser through March 6, 2026 to support the transition.

Kraft Heinz said the separation is expected in the second half of 2026 and will create a business identified as Global Taste Elevation Co., which will include the company’s largest global sellers such as Kraft Mac and Cheese, Philadelphia cream cheese and Heinz. The remaining business, described as North American Grocery Co., will house slower selling domestic grocery brands including Maxwell House, Oscar Mayer, Kraft Singles and Lunchables. Cahillane is designated to lead Global Taste Elevation Co. after the separation. The company has not yet named a chief executive for North American Grocery Co. and has not provided a precise date or detailed financial terms for the split.

The appointment marks a clear strategic shift for the company traded on Nasdaq under the ticker KHC. Management said the reorganization aims to separate faster growing global brands from a portfolio of more mature North American grocery lines, an approach intended to allow each entity to pursue distinct commercial, investment and capital allocation priorities. The company filed the announcement in a release datelined Pittsburgh and Chicago and via Business Wire.

Cahillane brings experience in corporate separations and global snack portfolios. He served as Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Kellanova from October 2017 until that company was acquired by Mars Incorporated in December 2025. At Kellanova he led the separation from its former corporate parent, expanded a global snacking portfolio that included Pringles, Cheez It and Pop Tarts, and managed the company through its sale to Mars. His prior roles include leading The Nature’s Bounty Company beginning in 2014, seven years with The Coca Cola Company including as President of Coca Cola Americas, and senior executive positions at Anheuser Busch InBev.

From a market perspective, the split will be judged on whether separating growth oriented global brands from slower domestic grocery businesses can unlock valuation premiums and clearer strategic paths. Investors often reward clarity on growth profiles and capital needs, and Cahillane’s track record with both separations and a strategic sale will be scrutinized as a test case. Key near term questions include the identity of the North American Grocery CEO, the allocation of shared costs and liabilities, and the companies’ respective dividend and capital expenditure plans.

Execution risks include the operational complexity and costs of separation, potential disruptions to supply chains and procurement, and the need to align governance and tax structures to maximize shareholder value. For consumers and markets alike, the split reflects a broader trend in consumer packaged goods where management teams weigh the benefits of scale against the potential value of focused standalone brands. Investors will be watching closely when the company provides more detail in the coming months.