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Kraft Heinz Appoints Abrams-Rivera as CEO

Newly appointed Kraft Heinz CEO Carlos Abrams-Rivera (left), and outgoing CEO Miguel Patricio (right) (Photo: Business Wire)

The Kraft Heinz Company announced that its board of directors has appointed Carlos Abrams-Rivera as chief executive officer and a member of the board, effective Jan. 1. Until then, Abrams-Rivera will continue in his role as president of the North America zone with the added responsibilities of becoming president of Kraft Heinz, effective immediately.

Abrams-Rivera will take over as CEO from Miguel Patricio, who has served as CEO since 2019 and chair of the board since 2022. Patricio will transition to the role of non-executive chair of the board on Jan 1.

In his role as EVP and President of the North America Zone, Abrams-Rivera has successfully overseen the Company’s U.S. and Canadian operations.

“Carlos is the best person to lead the next phase of the Company’s transformation,” said Patricio. “His strategic and innovative mindset is ideal to continue to propel Kraft Heinz forward on our path to greatness.

“Since joining Kraft Heinz in 2020, he has consistently delivered strong results in the North American retail and Away From Home businesses. Carlos’ experience in both developed and emerging markets complements our ambition for growth. I feel privileged to entrust Carlos with the leadership of this great company, and I am confident that Kraft Heinz is poised for more growth in the years to come.”

Patricio will transition to a new role as non-executive chair of the board. Since 2019, when Patricio joined the company, he has led Kraft Heinz through a period of fundamental change in consumer trends, unprecedented business and global challenges, and consistent periods of top and bottom-line growth.

“We are extremely grateful for Miguel’s leadership over the past four years. He has a deep understanding of marketing and consumers, which was instrumental to the company’s turnaround,” said Jack Pope, lead director of the board. “The transition from Miguel to Carlos reflects the Board’s thoughtful succession planning and we are confident that the Company will continue to accelerate growth with Carlos assuming the role of CEO.

“He is an experienced leader with a long tenure in the food and beverage industry who has shown consistency and excellence in execution. Carlos’ leadership in transforming North America with innovative partnerships, tech-enabled solutions and developing and attracting world class talent will serve the company well into the future. We look forward to continuing to work with him.”

“I am humbled and honored to be appointed as the new CEO of Kraft Heinz. I would like to thank Miguel for his mentorship, all he has done to rekindle the spirit of Kraft Heinz and our culture, and for his partnership, now and in the future,” Abrams-Rivera said.

“I would also like to thank the board of directors for placing its trust in me. Finally, to the thousands of colleagues across Kraft Heinz that have welcomed and trusted me, I am excited to go into a bright future together.”

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SEG Launches Annual School Donation Program

Southeastern Grocers Inc., is launching its third annual in-store community donation program benefiting more than 420 K-12 schools and school districts throughout the Southeast. Through Aug. 29, customers can donate $1, $5 or round up their purchase at checkout to help fund vital school resources and educational programs to ensure a successful start to the new school year.

Customers can also support their local schools and help better the environment by purchasing a Community Bag with a Giving Tag for $2.99 at all Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie stores. With each reusable bag purchase, $1 will go directly to the store’s chosen school or school district.

Raymond Rhee, Chief People Officer for Southeastern Grocers, said, “We firmly believe a strong community is built on the foundation of education. Through this community donation program, we are not only providing students with the tools they need, we’re also fostering a sense of togetherness and support within our neighborhoods.

“Every contribution makes a significant impact as we work together to build brighter futures for our youth – our future leaders – and in turn, nurture thriving communities for generations to come.”

As part of SEG’s continued commitment to furthering education, the grocer recently awarded 28 full- and part-time associates with college scholarships totaling $84,000. The SEG Scholarship Program has provided $212,000 in scholarships since its inception in 2020.

Interested associates with at least six months of tenure and a high school diploma or equivalent degree are encouraged to apply for the scholarship program. Each of this year’s 28 deserving scholarship recipients received $3,000 to help cover their expenses for the upcoming semester.

Additionally, with the National Retail Federation expecting a new record high spend this back-to-school season, SEG is helping customers stretch their wallets. SEG’s line of Own Brand products offers more than 8,000 quality items – including school essentials, delicious breakfast options and easy to pack lunch options – and provides an average savings of 20% compared to national brand products.

Customers can also find additional savings through Winn-Dixie’s “Down Down” program, offering lower prices on more than 150 commonly shopped items each season to help customers save more than 15 percent on average at their neighborhood store. Through the grocer’s “Down Down” program, customers can find discounted items marked with a red hand on signs and tags throughout Winn-Dixie stores.

Similarly, items marked with yellow and green signage at Fresco y Más and Harveys Supermarket are part of the “Low Price” and “Low Low Price” programs providing families with deep discounts for back-to-school shopping.

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Zevia CFO Steps Down, Neubauer Appointed as Interim

Zevia PBC announced that Florence Neubauer, Zevia’s current senior vice president, financial planning & analysis, has been appointed interim chief financial officer, replacing Denise D. Beckles, who will be leaving the company effective Sept. 4 to pursue another opportunity. The company has launched a formal search process to identify a permanent replacement.

Neubauer has over 25 years of finance and accounting experience in the consumer products industry including extensive experience in beverage. Prior to joining Zevia, she served as chief financial officer of Assouline Publishing, a book publisher and luxury lifestyle company, and held progressive roles of responsibility at PepsiCo, Pernod Ricard and Honeywell.

Neubauer holds a French MBA in International Business from ISG Insitut Superieur de Gestion. She will report to Amy Taylor, Zevia’s president and CEO, until a permanent successor is named.

“Zevia has a deep pool of finance and accounting talent,” said Taylor. “We are confident that under Florence’s leadership, working in close partnership with the rest of the team including Hany Mikhail, our chief accounting officer, we will continue to strengthen our business, drive growth and accelerate our path to profitability, capitalizing on the increasing demand for the Zevia brand. We wish Denise well in her future endeavors.”

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