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The Kraft Heinz Company has appointed longtime food and beverage executive Steve Cahillane as chief executive officer, effective January 2026.

The appointment comes as the company prepares to separate into two independent, publicly traded businesses.

Cahillane will also join Kraft Heinz’s board of directors and serve as CEO of Global Taste Elevation Co, one of the two entities that will emerge from the planned split, which was announced in September 2025. The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2026 pending customary approvals.

Current CEO Carlos Abrams-Rivera will step down on 1 January and will remain with the company as an advisor through March 2026 to support the transition.

Cahillane most recently served as chairman, president and CEO of Kellanova, formerly Kellogg Company, until its acquisition by Mars in December of this year. His career also includes senior leadership roles at the Nature’s Bounty Co, the Coca-Cola Company and ABinBev.

As part of the leadership changes, John T Cahill, vice chair of Kraft Heinz’s board and former CEO of Kraft Foods, will succeed Miguel Patricio as board chair. Cahill will continue to oversee the board’s Separation Committee, which has been guiding the company’s restructuring efforts and Patricio will remain on the board following the transition.

Following the split, Global Taste Elevation Co and North American Grocery Co are expected to operate with greater strategic focus, allowing each business to deploy resources around distinct growth priorities. Kraft Heinz’s board will initiate a search for a separate CEO to lead the second entity, North American Grocery Co.