By Shefali Kapadia HERSHEY, Pa. — On a Thursday at Hershey’s headquarters these days, the building is neither empty nor full. A group filters into a small conference room for an in-person meeting and fills every chair. A bank of cubicles on the upper floor sits largely vacant, and the handful of employees sitting there speak toContinue reading “Hershey’s Work Model: Deep Work Mondays and Pizza Wednesdays”
Author Archives: sk3705a
Breaking: Anheuser-Busch to Lay Off Workers in ‘Every Corporate Function’
By S.L. Fuller Anheuser-Busch is eliminating jobs “across every corporate function,” a spokesperson said via email, which will result in layoffs “representing less than 2%” of its U.S. workforce. The CPG employs more than 19,000 people nationwide, which means 2% would be about 380 employees. A report from The Wall Street Journal said an internal restructure eliminated corporate and marketingContinue reading “Breaking: Anheuser-Busch to Lay Off Workers in ‘Every Corporate Function’”
How 6 CPGs Use Internships to Fuel Talent Pipeline, Encourage Industry Careers
By Cheryl Winokur Munk Summer internships are in full-swing at many CPGs where industry hopefuls are getting acclimated to the profession, performing tasks such as market analysis, benchmarking, product testing and marketing as they learn the ins and outs of what could be their future career. Many companies, including Anheuser-Busch, Conagra Brands, Coca-Cola, General Mills, Hershey, J.M. Smucker, McCormick & Company, Mondelēz, Nestlé, PepsiCo and Post ConsumerContinue reading “How 6 CPGs Use Internships to Fuel Talent Pipeline, Encourage Industry Careers”
A Look at PepsiCo’s Journey Inside Web3 and the Metaverse
By Shefali Kapadia CHICAGO — One morning in 2007, Kelly Ripa and Regis Philbin were hosting their TV show on ABC, discussing the debut of the iPhone. Talking on the phone through an iPod? “Ridiculous,” was Philbin’s conclusion. That bit was comedic then, and it still is now, but for a different reason. The TVContinue reading “A Look at PepsiCo’s Journey Inside Web3 and the Metaverse”
Costco, BJ’s Are ‘Winning With Consumers.’ Is That Also a Win for CPGs?
By Shefali Kapadia A hallmark of every Costco location — aside from food court hot dogs — is the club retailer’s immense grocery section. Multipacks of tortilla chips, jumbo boxes of cereal and big stacks of flavored water line the aisles. In today’s economy, the grocery section at club retailers has become even more popular due toContinue reading “Costco, BJ’s Are ‘Winning With Consumers.’ Is That Also a Win for CPGs?”
What’s Next in Mondelez’s M&A Spree? 5 Possibilities
By S.L. Fuller, Shefali Kapadia Word on the street is Mondelēz International has cash to burn, and it might be looking to burn it on M&A. But which CPG would be the Oreo maker’s main target? Axios reported — after observing an investor conference in Florida — that Hostess Brands “stands out as an attractiveContinue reading “What’s Next in Mondelez’s M&A Spree? 5 Possibilities”
Hershey Beefs Up Workforce, Leadership to Grow Salty Snacks Unit
By Shefali Kapadia Hershey plans to add employees and executives to its salty snacks division to support the growing segment, company leadership told analysts on the CPG’s Q4 earnings call last week. “One of our key strategic goals this year is really to integrate [and] scale our salty business,” CEO Michele Buck said on the call. “And so,Continue reading “Hershey Beefs Up Workforce, Leadership to Grow Salty Snacks Unit”
Ben & Jerry’s, Frito-Lay and Oreo Put Diversity Messaging Right on the Pack. There Are Risks and Rewards.
By S.L. Fuller If there’s one CPG brand known for taking societal and political stances, it’s Ben & Jerry’s. The Unilever-owned line of ice cream puts company values front and center on its packaging — like when it released a design of two cows in top hats, ostensibly getting married, on the front of “I Dough, IContinue reading “Ben & Jerry’s, Frito-Lay and Oreo Put Diversity Messaging Right on the Pack. There Are Risks and Rewards.”
What Target’s Plan to Cancel Orders Means for CPGs
By Shefali Kapadia After months of building inventory to hedge against stockouts, some retailers now face the opposite problem: what to do with a glut of supply. In June, Target announced plans to “right-size its inventory, ” which included markdowns and cancellations of some orders. The actions to right-size will continue for the rest ofContinue reading “What Target’s Plan to Cancel Orders Means for CPGs”
Bolthouse CEO Ready for More M&A After Acquisition From Starbucks
By Shefali Kapadia After Bolthouse Farms announced plans to acquire Evolution Fresh from Starbucks, Bolthouse CEO Jeff Dunn described the purchase as a “perfect fit.” Evolution Fresh’s high-end portfolio would slot neatly into Bolthouse’s premium lineup of refrigerated juices and smoothies, Dunn told CPG Specialist. Bolthouse contracts rail service from Bakersfield, California, to Chicago, which would expand Evolution Fresh’s mostly West Coast distribution. And there’s plenty of runwayContinue reading “Bolthouse CEO Ready for More M&A After Acquisition From Starbucks”
SHEFALI KAPADIA 