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  • Kraft Heinz Pauses Plans To Split Into 2 Companies, Says Its Problems Are ‘Fixable’ – KXL

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    A sign shows the company’s logo at the Kraft Heinz facility in Lowville, N.Y., on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Cara Anna)

    Kraft Heinz said Wednesday it’s pausing its plans to split into two companies.

    Steve Cahillane, a former Kellogg Co. chief who became CEO of Kraft Heinz on Jan. 1, said he wants to ensure that all of the company’s resources are focused on profitable growth.

    “I have seen that the opportunity is larger than expected and that many of our challenges are fixable and within our control,” Cahillane said in a statement.

    The company’s shares were flat in morning trading Wednesday as Kraft Heinz reported lower quarterly and annual results. Investors are likely concerned that Kraft Heinz believes its businesses aren’t strong enough to stand on their own, said Robert Moskow, an analyst with TD Cowen, in a research note.

    Kraft Heinz announced in September it was splitting into two companies a decade after a merger of the brands created one of the biggest food manufacturers on the planet.

    One of the companies would include stronger-selling brands such as Heinz, Philadelphia cream cheese and Kraft Mac & Cheese. The other would include slower-selling brands like Maxwell House, Oscar Mayer, Kraft Singles and Lunchables.

    At the time, Kraft Heinz said it expected the split to be finalized in the second half of this year. The company hired Cahillane, who presided over a similar breakup at Kellogg Co. in 2023, in December.

    But on Wednesday, Kraft Heinz said it will pivot from the split and invest $600 million in marketing, sales and product development.

    “We are confident in the opportunity ahead and believe this investment will accelerate our return to profitable growth,” Cahillane said.

    Kraft Heinz said Wednesday its net sales fell 3% to $6.35 billion in the October-December period. That was lower than the $6.37 billion Wall Street forecast, according to analysts polled by FactSet. Sales fell 5% in North America but rose internationally.

    Kraft Heinz’s net income fell 69.5% to $651 million in the fourth quarter. Adjusted for one-time items, the company earned 67 cents per share, which beat analysts’ forecast of 61 cents.

    The path to the merger of Kraft and Heinz began in 2013, when billionaire investor Warren Buffett teamed up with Brazilian investment firm 3G Capital to buy H.J. Heinz Co. At the time, the $23 billion deal was the most expensive ever in the food industry.

    As a combined company, Kraft Heinz wanted to capitalize on its massive scale. But shifting tastes complicated those plans, with households seeking out less processed foods and switching to cheaper store brands.

    Kraft Heinz tried to follow those trends. In 2021, the company sold both its Planters nut business and its natural cheese business, vowing to reinvest the money into higher-growth brands like P3 protein snacks. But the company continued to struggle.

    Kraft Heinz’s net revenue has fallen every year since 2020, when it saw a pandemic-related bump in sales. In April, Kraft Heinz lowered its full-year sales and earnings guidance, citing weaker customer spending in the U.S. and the impact of President Donald Trump’s tariffs.

    Over the years, Buffett said he had come to realize that the company’s competitive moat around its brands wasn’t as strong as he thought. Two representatives from Buffett’s investment company, Berkshire Hathaway, resigned from the Kraft Heinz board last spring, and Berkshire later took a $3.76 billion write-down on its Kraft-Heinz investment. Buffett said he was disappointed in Kraft Heinz’ plan to split in two.

    Buffett’s successor at Berkshire, Greg Abel, may now be seeking to unload its stake in the company altogether. Late last month, Kraft Heinz warned investors in a regulatory filing that Berkshire Hathaway may be interested in selling its 325 million shares.

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    Jordan Vawter

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  • Kraft Mac and Cheese Is Going Vegan. Where to Buy ‘NotMac’ | Entrepreneur

    Kraft Mac and Cheese Is Going Vegan. Where to Buy ‘NotMac’ | Entrepreneur

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    Kraft is offering a new version of its iconic Mac & Cheese, but it’s missing a key ingredient.

    The company is releasing its first-ever vegan alternative to the iconic boxed pasta dish.

    The new product, called “Kraft NotMac&Cheese,” uses a dairy-free substitute — a vegan cheese made from fava bean protein and coconut oil powder, the company told CNN — instead of Kraft’s notable yellow cheese.

    The company told CNN it has a “similar taste, look and feel to dairy-based mac and cheese” and was made in partnership with the plant-based food company, TheNotCompany.

    RELATED: Florida Woman Sues Kraft for $5 Million Over Prep Time for Velveeta Shells and Cheese

    Courtesy of Kraft Heinz Company | The box of the new NotMac&Cheese.

    Kraft NotMac&Cheese comes in original and white cheddar flavors, according to a company press release.

    The product costs $3.49 per box and is set to roll out in stores nationwide starting now through early 2024.

    Plant-based product sales grew to $8 billion in 2022, which is up by 44.5% from three years prior, according to the Plant-Based Foods Association.

    RELATED: Kraft Heinz Is Rolling Out a Make-Your-Own-Sauce Machine With Over 200 Possible Flavors

    However, the industry struggles with repeat buyers, Numerator data shows, as less than 30% of plant-based mac & cheese buyers make repeat purchases due to texture and taste.

    “Those who tried animal product alternatives once or twice but did not continue said taste was the biggest reason. This was highest for the dairy milk alternatives,” said Vice President of Total Wellness at NIQ, Sherry Frey, told CNN.

    There’s no word yet on if the new vegan option will live up to the real deal.

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    Sam Silverman

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  • Kraft introduces new mac and cheese option without the cheese

    Kraft introduces new mac and cheese option without the cheese

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    Kraft Heinz’s newest macaroni and cheese product resembles the brand’s classic creamy comfort food but for one key difference: It doesn’t contain cheese.

    The food and beverage giant is rolling out “Kraft NotMac&Cheese,” a vegan mac and cheese that uses a plant-based sauce, the company announced Wednesday. The dairy-free product will come in two flavors — original and white cheddar — and will cost $3.49 a box when it hits store shelves beginning this month. 

    Kraft Heinz partnered with TheNotCompany, a plant-based food technology company, to craft its vegan take on the pantry staple. The product’s sauce is made from fava bean protein and coconut oil powder. It is Kraft Heinz’s third non-dairy offering after its NotCheese Slices and NotMayo, which hit store shelves this year. 

    The new product comes as consumers increasingly embrace plant-based snacks and other seemingly healthier food alternatives. Sales of plant-foods rose to $8 billion in 2022, up 44.5% from three years ago, according to data from Plants Based Foods Association, a food trade group. 

    Worldwide, 42% of consumers believe most people will substitute plant-based foods for meat in the next decade, a 2022 survey from research firm GlobeScan and non-profit organization EAT shows. 


    Pinky Cole on the success of her Slutty Vegan fast food chain

    04:24

    According to consumer insights firm Numerator, less than 30% of dairy-free mac & cheese buyers repeat their purchases due to being dissatisfied with the flavor and texture of the products they purchased. 

    Other food companies are also hopping on the dairy-free bandwagon. In April, cheese maker Babybel said it would introduce a vegan version of its popular white cheddar cheese snack after debuting its first dairy-free cheese in 2022. And cream cheese maker Philadelphia this summer rolled out a plant-based version nationwide. 

    Elizabeth Napolitano


    elizabeth-napolitano-cbsmoneywatch.jpg

    Elizabeth Napolitano is a freelance reporter at CBS MoneyWatch, where she covers business and technology news. She also writes for CoinDesk. Before joining CBS, she interned at NBC News’ BizTech Unit and worked on the Associated Press’ web scraping team.

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  • Florida Woman Files Class Action Suit Against Kraft for $5 Million Over Microwave Time for Velveeta Mac and Cheese

    Florida Woman Files Class Action Suit Against Kraft for $5 Million Over Microwave Time for Velveeta Mac and Cheese

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Velveeta’s microwaveable shells & cheese product takes just three and a half minutes to heat—among the quickest of quick lunches. Florida woman Amanda Ramirez claims it’s not that simple.


    Bloomberg | Getty Images

    Ramirez’s attorneys filed court documents with the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida on November 18. In the suit against Kraft Heinz Foods Company, Ramirez alleges that heating up an individual serving of Velveeta Shells & Cheese consumes more time to prepare than advertised. She seeks $5 million in damages.

    The complaint says instructions on the packaging are “false and misleading.” While the label says you should microwave shells & cheese for 3:30, Ramirez’s attorneys claim the timing doesn’t allow for all the steps required to make the meal. They allege that if you include those—removing the lid and sauce pouch, adding water, heating, then stirring—there’s no way the pasta will be ready in just 3:30.

    The 15-page lawsuit also contends that the claim is merited because Kraft is essentially making money as “a result of…false and misleading representations.”

    “The Product is sold at a premium price,” the complaint says, “approximately no less than $10.99 for eight 2.39 oz cups, excluding tax and sales, higher than similar products, represented in a non-misleading way, and higher than it would be sold for absent the misleading representations and omissions.”

    Ramirez isn’t just seeking $5 million in damages but also a new ad campaign that will correct the alleged misinformation.

    Perhaps predictably, Heinz Foods issued a statement to CNN in which the company dubbed the lawsuit “frivolous” and said it “will strongly defend against the allegations in the complaint.”

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    Steve Huff

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  • Juicy Couture x Kraft Mayo Debut a Velvety Smooth Collaboration

    Juicy Couture x Kraft Mayo Debut a Velvety Smooth Collaboration

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    The Y2K fashion revival is in full swing. For me, that means every “it-girl” trend I coveted in middle and high school is back en vogue. Uggs? Spotted on Bella Hadid. Low-rise jeans? Slowly but surely replacing high-waist jeans as the reigning silhouette. Statement jewelry? The bigger — and shinier — the better.

    This is how the trend cycle goes: we obsess over the latest style’s must-haves; we covet then purchase our favorite brands; and then — when the season ends — we mindlessly toss them to the landfill in pursuit of the next new thing.

    But what goes up must come down. Every few years, trends inevitably boomerang back. So now, two decades after the early-2000s era, the best of its trends return to our wishlists.

    But while some brands have fallen since their original reign — think Victoria’s Secret — others have returned to their prime. But in the age of microtrends and gimmicks, even the best-of-the-best need to make noise to gain traction, survive, and thrive.

    Cue: the new Juicy Couture collaboration with … Kraft Real Mayo.

    I, for one, would never have called this. I guess the velvety texture of Juicy’s token velour sweatsuits pairs well with the velvety smoothness of Kraft Real Mayo. And this collab is proof.

    “The two biggest lovers of velvety smooth, Kraft Real Mayo and Juicy Couture, have come together for the most velvety smooth collaboration yet,” the collection’s website states. “Included in your Smooth Lovers Kit, you’ll find one Long Live Velvety Smooth Tracksuit and one Mayo Couture Tube Top. We’ve also included a very limited edition (first come, first served) matching Tube Top for your bestie and a jar of Kraft Real Mayo.”

    “The Smooth Lover’s” collection is a statement-making combination of both brands’ distinct aesthetics. The Kraft Real Mayo X Juicy Couture plush velour tracksuit is a gorgeous navy blue inspired by the Kraft Mayo label. It dazzles with the signature Juicy Couture rhinestones. It also comes with a matching tube top and — of course — a jar of the condiment itself.


    The most surprising part: we actually like it. The new Juicy Collab is a cool new spin on the iconic Juicy Couture tracksuit.

    The Smooth Lover’s Collection is available for preorder now, exclusively on MayoCouture.com.

    If all of this has whet your appetite for a velour tracksuit, you’re not alone. But if you seek other colorways or simply don’t love mayo enough to wear a branded tracksuit, here are the top velour sweatsuits you can buy now. Juicy Couture and otherwise.

    All products featured are independently selected by our editors. Things you buy through our links may earn us a commission.

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    LKC

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