Kraft Heinz
200 East Randolph, Suite 7600, Chicago, IL 60601, USA
(800)431-1001
www.kraftheinzcompany.com
Introduction
Kraft Heinz is a worldwide food company established by the merging of Kraft Foods and Heinz
in 2015. Headquarters in Chicago, IL and Pittsburgh, PA, Kraft Heinz has over 13 brands with
over $500 million each in annual sales. The new company is the world’s fifth largest food and
beverage company and third largest in America. Some brands Kraft Heinz include are, Kraft,
Heinz, Oscar Mayer, Weight Watchers, Jell-O, Planters, Philadelphia, and Capri Sun. Currently,
Kraft Heinz is focusing on opportunities in organic growth, along with global expansion. Kraft
Heinz visions to be the best food company, while growing a better world. (KraftHeinz, 2017)
Public Relations Tactics
In order for Kraft Heinz to generate positive attitudes and encourage investment behaviors, the
company delivers tactics through a variety of established investor relations programs. Found on
the company investor relations website are a variety of tactics:
Uncontrolled
• News releases
• Media relations
Controlled
• Printed materials
o Annual reports
o Quarterly and other
financial reports
o Newsletters
o Announcements
• Corporate speeches
• Financial fact sheet
• Committee membership bios and
fact sheets
• Leadership team bios
• FAQ’s with answers
• IR website –
http://ir.kraftheinzcompany.com
• Website with real-time market
information
• Company infographic
• Devoted social media accounts-
LinkedIn, Twitter
Actions
• Annual shareowners’ meeting –
April 19, 2017
• Webcast – Announcement
Simplification Project
• Presentations – Merging
presentation, Quarterly presentation
• Press release news announcements
• Quarterly conference call
(KraftHeinz, 2017)
Messages
It is evident that Kraft Heinz conveys itself as a powerhouse. In the investor relations section,
Kraft Heinz states that the company is the fifth-largest food and beverage company in the world.
KH also states that the company is a globally trusted producer of foods. To add on to being a
‘global powerhouse message’, Kraft Heinz portrays themselves as new company continuing to
drive towards a growing success. This is noted in the financial statements and the press releases.
One release outlines a three-step growth plan, along with short and long term outlooks. It seems
that Kraft Heinz would like to convey the company is the best in the industry, and this comes
from its size and reputation.
The three key investor relation messages are financial stability and organizational growth, sound
management and ethics. Kraft Heinz implements tactics that assure the three key IR messages
are delivered.
• Financial stability and organizational growth: During Kraft Heinz’s fourth quarter and
full year 2016 results, on February 15, 2017, it was stated that the financial results
“reflected significant gains from cost savings, the redemption of preferred stock and
lower taxes versus the prior year period.” (IR Kraft Heinz Company, 2017)
• Kraft Heinz CEO stated, “We finished 2016 consistent with our expectations and with
good momentum heading into 2017. Looking forward, our objectives and opportunities
are clear. But we need to sharpen our focus on profitable sales, and further improve our
capabilities and execution to deliver another year of strong, sustainable growth in 2017.”
• A joint statement has been released for the combination of Unilever and Kraft Heinz.
Although Unilever turned down the offer, it shows that Kraft Heinz is hungry to keep
growing. (IR Kraft Heinz, 2017)
• On July 2, 2015 a press release claimed the successful merging between Kraft and Heinz.
Currently, focus is still on integrating the two businesses and enhancing a new
organizational structure.
• The listing of the Board of Directors along with their biographies relates to the concern of
financial stability because it assures investors of their qualifications and expertise.
• Sound management means that a company has leadership that is willing to influence,
inspire and coordinate their team. Kraft Heinz shows sound leadership through their
leadership team listing, along with contact information.
• On June 29, 2015, an announcement of Kraft Heinz Company’s new senior leadership
was published. Bernardo Hess (CEO of Kraft Heinz) says, “Our new leadership team
represents the best of the best in business with proven track records for delivering
results.”
