Julie Loeger

Chicago-based Kraft Heinz made an excellent choice in appointing one of the most experienced and successful global CPG leaders, Steve Cahillane, as its new CEO. Cahillane previously served as CEO of Chicago-based Kellanova and brings deep industry expertise and proven leadership to the role. In 2026, Kraft Heinz plans to split into two companies, temporarily named "Global Taste Elevation" and "North American Grocery". Global Taste Elevation, led then by Cahillane, will include the faster-growing sauces, spreads, and seasonings portfolio, featuring iconic brands such as Heinz, Philadelphia, and Kraft Mac & Cheese. North American Grocery will house legacy brands including Oscar Mayer, Kraft Singles, and Lunchables. The objective of this strategic separation is to increase speed to market, reduce complexity, and strengthen proximity to customers. Cahillane is a longtime Chicago resident and advocate for the city, having graduated from Northwestern University. In his first remarks following the announcement, he reaffirmed Kraft Heinz’s commitment to Chicago. Congratulations, Steve! Please read here the Chicago Tribune coverage by Robert Channick here: https://lnkd.in/gUvbH7hc

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More movement in Chicago-based brands with Kraft Heinz splitting as other brands are looking to consolidation. The food industry is moving faster than retail now. Growth is fueling all of this and how brands choose to grow.

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Great piece on how brand positioning needs to be simple. Before Brian Niccol joined Starbucks. It was “With every cup, with every conversation, with every community—we nurture the limitless possibilities of human connection.” As Mark Ritson says, Overwritten. Vague. It reeks of the overstated era of Big Positioning in which so many marketers lost the strategic plot. Too many brands are run by people who think positioning is an end in itself—one that requires a big societal purpose followed by a verbose set of statements and concepts. Positioning became a PowerPoint deck of overly complex ideas. Now it is “A welcoming coffeehouse where people gather, and where we serve the finest coffee, handcrafted by our skilled baristas.” https://lnkd.in/dKFiUfe7

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You manage things, but you lead people. I recently sat down with Don Klusendorf on #RecipetoRevenue, and this simple distinction he made really stuck with me. With 40 years of experience in the produce and CPG industries (and a background playing basketball at the University of Illinois), Don knows a thing or two about what makes a team actually work. We dug deep into why so many companies struggle to move from "group of people" to "high-performing team." Some of my favorite takeaways from our conversation: 1. Define the Terms: You can’t be a "collaborative team" if no one agrees on what those words mean. 2. Just Start: Analysis paralysis kills momentum. Sometimes the best leadership move is to just take the first step. 3. The "Yes" Trap: A true partner doesn't just say "yes" to every customer request; they help solve problems before they arise. 4. B2B with an eye on C: Even in B2B, you have to understand the end consumer to truly add value. If you’re leading a team or looking to grow your business in the food and beverage space, this episode is a masterclass in leadership. Watch the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/gzTMiQFb #RecipetoRevenue #Leadership #FoodAndBeverage #TeamBuilding #CPG #ProduceIndustry

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How will tariffs impact the beverage-alcohol industry? We captured data on beer shelves nationwide to see how imports stack up against domestics—and what the future might hold for the beer category. 

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"People strategies must work in a real restaurant, not just in theory." That was one of my favorite takeaways from my recent conversation with Belinda Kyle, Chief People Officer at Biscuitville. It’s rare to find a CPO who started their career as a crew member at McDonald’s. Belinda has "been there, done that" on the ops side, and you can tell. She understands that if a policy doesn’t survive a Friday rush, it doesn’t matter how good it looked on a slide deck. In our latest episode of Lessons from the Field, we dug into what makes Biscuitville’s culture so distinct—specifically their commitment to closing at 2:00 PM. They call it "Life After Two." Sure, it's big operational choice in and of itself. But it’s also a very powerful retention engine. It gives their operators a predictable schedule and a life outside of work—a massive competitive advantage in the QSR space. We also geeked out on the data (naturally): The GM Multiplier: How manager tenure directly correlates to financial performance and guest sentiment. Smart Benchmarking: Why you use data to validate your culture, not just to blindly chase industry averages. Simplifying Feedback: Why they boil engagement surveys down to just one or two actionable behaviors per store. If you’re a leader in this industry, you know that keeping great GMs is half the battle. Belinda’s approach to building a pipeline from within is world-class. Check out the full conversation here: https://lnkd.in/eQy63NXQ

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