Dive Brief:
- Kraft Heinz hired Marlene Creighton as its chief sales officer for U.S. retail, the packaged food giant said in a statement. She officially started at the company in June.
- Creighton joins Kraft Heinz from Hershey where she most recently served as its chief sales officer. She previously worked at other CPG giants, including P&G, Kraft Foods and Unilever.
- The hire comes as Kraft Heinz has aggressively stepped up innovation. The Oscar Mayer and Crystal Light maker aims for $2 billion in incremental net sales by 2027.
Dive Insight:
With more than 20 years of CPG experience, Creighton is no stranger to the space, making her a perfect fit for Kraft Heinz. She oversees the company’s U.S. sales force and is responsible for driving customer and channel growth “by leveraging brand superiority and innovation.”
Kraft Heinz described Creighton as “a transformational leader.” It pointed out that at Hershey, she played a role in helping the confectionery and snacks manufacturer increase revenue while enabling its sales team to spend more time connecting with customers. Her position will be even more important now with inflation prompting consumers to cut back on spending, reducing product volumes for companies across the food industry.
Kraft Heinz has seen changes to its executive ranks during the last year. In some cases, it has turned to other CPG companies to fill the roles. Earlier this summer, it named former Pepsi marketer Todd Kaplan as chief marketing officer of its North American business. And this year, Carlos Abrams-Rivera took on the role of CEO at the Philadelphia, Jell-O and Capri Sun manufacturer.
