Oct. 13, 2025
| Today’s news and insights for food industry leaders
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NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
Food companies have dramatically shaken up their leadership, part of a larger corporate reckoning in the face of declining profits and economic turmoil.
The average tenure for outgoing CEOs around the globe in the first half of this year was 6.8 years, according to Russell Reynolds Associates, the lowest figure for the period since the executive search and leadership advisory firm began tracking the data in 2018.
The fact that the food and beverage space hadn’t seen a lot of CEO turnover in several years likely meant it was ripe for activity. Changes in consumer behavior, and the associated challenges in responding to them, also helped shorten the tenure of a few CEOs.
In this special newsletter, we look at some of the biggest CEO changes so far this year, including at firms such as Nestlé, Hershey and Molson Coors. In most cases, executives who took over were company veterans or intimately familiar with the broader consumer goods space.
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Kirk Tanner will replace Michele Buck, who announced her intention to retire earlier this year.
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Laurent Freixe is being replaced after one year in the role by Philipp Navratil, the head of the company’s Nespresso brand.
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Hein Schumacher departs on March 1 after less than two years in the role. He will be replaced by CFO and 37-year company veteran Fernando Fernandez.
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Always in season: tart cherries fuel bold, craveable innovation across categories all year long.
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Debra Crew's departure after two years comes as the beer and spirits giant battles tariffs and declining alcohol consumption.
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Jeffrey Ettinger, who was chief executive from 2005 to 2016, will again lead the Spam maker as it seeks a permanent replacement.
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Chief Strategy Officer Rahul Goyal, who has been with the beer giant for 24 years, will succeed Gavin Hattersley starting Oct. 1.
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The healthy food and beverage manufacturer’s stock has fallen to a record low as it struggles with mounting competition and falling sales.
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As snack regulations tighten, brands face a new challenge. Learn how to satisfy both regulations and customer expectations in today’s market in this playbook.
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From Our Library
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