Kraft Heinz Hires Hershey's Exec, Marlene Creighton, as CSO

Kraft Heinz has appointed food industry veteran Marlene Creighton as its new Chief Sales Officer for US retail operations.

Creighton assumed her role at the packaged food manufacturing giant in June.

Creighton brings a wealth of experience to Kraft Heinz, having most recently served as chief sales officer at confectionery and snack company, The Hershey Company. 

Her career in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry spans more than 20 years, and includes positions at other industry giants such as Procter & Gamble, the former Kraft Foods (now part Kraft-Heinz) and Unilever.

In her new role, Creighton will oversee Kraft Heinz's US sales force, and will be responsible for driving customer and channel growth by leveraging brand superiority and innovation.

Kraft Heinz innovation drive

Creighton’s appointment comes at a crucial time for Kraft Heinz.

Her career trajectory reflects the evolving landscape of the food industry, particularly in areas of sales strategy and customer relationship management.

This experience could prove valuable as Kraft Heinz navigates the challenges posed by inflation, which has led to reduced product volumes across the food industry as consumers cut back on spending.

The company, known for brands such as Oscar Mayer processed meats and Crystal Light beverages, has recently intensified its focus on innovation, and aims to generate US$2bn in incremental net sales by 2027 through these efforts.

Creighton's track record at Hershey was impressive. She helped increase revenue, while enabling the sales team to spend more time connecting with customers.

While there, she also prioritised digital enablement, planning, category management and retail execution, and embraced technologies to access deeper insights, improve technological processes and accelerate information sharing to drive revenue growth. 

Her expertise in sales leadership and revenue growth in the CPG sector has been noted by industry observers.

Kraft Heinz leadership transformation

Creighton's hiring is part of a broader transformation in Kraft Heinz's leadership team, with the company making several key appointments in recent months, often drawing talent from other CPG firms.

Earlier this summer, Kraft Heinz named Todd Kaplan, a former PepsiCo marketing executive, as Chief Marketing Officer for its North American business.

Creighton’s career trajectory reflects the evolving landscape of the food industry, particularly in areas of sales strategy and customer relationship management.

This experience could prove valuable as Kraft Heinz navigates the challenges posed by inflation, which has led to reduced product volumes across the food industry as consumers cut back on spending.

Additionally, Carlos Abrams-Rivera took on the role of CEO in December 2023 at the company, which produces brands such as Philadelphia cream cheese, Jell-O gelatin desserts, and Capri Sun beverages.

"Marlene is a transformational leader," Kraft Heinz as saying, underscoring the company's confidence in her ability to drive growth in a challenging market environment.

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