Former Kellanova Chairman, President and CEO Steve Cahillane has been named CEO of The Kraft Heinz Not Company and will join its Board. He will also lead Global Taste Elevation Co. following Kraft Heinz’s planned split into two publicly listed companies.
Steve Cahillane’s appointment as Chief Executive Officer of The Kraft Heinz Not Company marks a significant leadership moment for one of the most closely watched ventures in the global food industry, where legacy brands and next-generation food innovation intersect. The announcement signals a renewed emphasis on scale, execution and strategic clarity at a time when consumer tastes are shifting rapidly and food companies are being forced to reinvent themselves for a more health-conscious, sustainability-driven era.
Cahillane brings with him a reputation as a steady operator with deep experience across branded consumer goods, having most recently served as Chairman, President and CEO of Kellanova. During his tenure there, he was closely associated with navigating portfolio transformation, managing complex global operations and balancing innovation with the demands of established brands. That background is expected to be particularly relevant at The Kraft Heinz Not Company, which sits at the crossroads of traditional food manufacturing and plant-based, alternative innovation.
The Kraft Heinz Not Company was created as a joint venture combining Kraft Heinz’s scale, brand power and distribution muscle with NotCo’s technology-led approach to food innovation. The venture has been positioned as a way to accelerate the development of products that deliver familiar taste profiles while relying on alternative ingredients, often plant-based, to meet changing consumer expectations. As the food industry grapples with pressure on margins, regulatory scrutiny and evolving dietary preferences, the venture represents a bet that technology, data and culinary science can together unlock the next phase of growth.
Cahillane’s role is expected to go beyond operational oversight. He will also join the company’s Board of Directors, giving him a direct role in shaping long-term strategy and governance. Board-level involvement underscores the importance the shareholders place on continuity between strategy and execution, particularly as the venture seeks to move from experimentation and early-market wins to consistent, scalable growth across regions.
His appointment comes at a pivotal juncture for Kraft Heinz more broadly. Following the completion of its planned split into two separate, publicly listed companies, Cahillane will also serve as CEO of Global Taste Elevation Co., a role that positions him at the centre of the company’s future-facing portfolio. The split is intended to create sharper strategic focus, allowing distinct businesses to pursue growth paths aligned to their consumer segments, cost structures and innovation cycles. In this context, leadership choices take on added weight, as investors and employees look for clear signals about priorities and direction.
For The Kraft Heinz Not Company, the challenge ahead is both promising and complex. The global plant-based and alternative foods market has matured since its early surge, with growth rates normalising and competition intensifying. Consumers are more discerning, often sceptical of products that promise sustainability or health benefits but fail on taste, affordability or ingredient transparency. Success increasingly depends on delivering products that can compete head-to-head with conventional options, not as niche alternatives but as everyday choices.
Cahillane’s experience at Kellanova, where he managed brands with decades-long consumer loyalty while pushing for portfolio evolution, is likely to inform his approach. Industry observers note that the next phase for alternative and tech-enabled foods will be less about novelty and more about operational excellence, cost discipline and consistent quality. That requires leadership comfortable with complexity, trade-offs and long-term investment decisions.
The appointment also reflects a broader trend in the food and beverage sector: the blending of innovation-led ventures with executives drawn from traditional FMCG backgrounds. While start-up cultures have driven much of the early momentum in alternative foods, scaling those ideas into profitable, global businesses often requires skills honed in large organisations. Cahillane’s career trajectory suggests an ability to operate at that intersection, translating innovation into repeatable processes and measurable returns.
From a governance perspective, his presence on the Board may help align the joint venture’s ambitions with the expectations of Kraft Heinz shareholders, particularly during a period of corporate restructuring. The planned split into two publicly listed companies introduces new dynamics, with each entity expected to articulate a clear investment narrative. Global Taste Elevation Co., under Cahillane’s leadership, is likely to be positioned as a growth-oriented platform, leveraging flavour science, culinary insight and technology to capture evolving consumer demand across markets.
Internally, the leadership transition is expected to bring renewed focus on talent, culture and cross-functional collaboration. Ventures like The Kraft Heinz Not Company often face the challenge of integrating teams with different working styles, from data scientists and food technologists to brand marketers and supply chain specialists. A CEO with board-level authority and experience managing large, diverse teams may help bridge those gaps, creating a shared sense of purpose and accountability.
The timing of the announcement also speaks to the urgency with which food companies are responding to external pressures. Inflationary costs, supply chain volatility and geopolitical uncertainty have reshaped operating environments worldwide. At the same time, consumers continue to demand products that align with values around health, sustainability and transparency, without compromising on taste or convenience. Navigating these tensions requires leadership that can balance short-term resilience with long-term innovation.
For Kraft Heinz, the venture and the broader corporate split represent an effort to future-proof the business while protecting the cash-generating power of its established brands. Placing a seasoned executive like Cahillane at the helm sends a message of intent: that the company is serious about translating experimentation into durable growth. It also reassures stakeholders that the transition will be guided by someone familiar with public market expectations, operational rigour and brand stewardship.
As Cahillane steps into his new role, expectations will be high. Investors will be watching for clarity on strategy, timelines for growth and evidence that the venture can deliver both relevance and returns. Employees will be looking for leadership that values innovation while providing stability during change. And consumers, ultimately, will judge success by what appears on shelves and menus: products that taste good, feel accessible and align with modern lifestyles.
In an industry where reinvention has become a necessity rather than an option, the appointment of Steve Cahillane positions The Kraft Heinz Not Company and Global Taste Elevation Co. at a moment of recalibration and opportunity. How effectively that leadership translates vision into execution will help determine not only the future of the venture, but also the broader narrative of how legacy food companies adapt to a rapidly evolving global marketplace.
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