The Kraft Heinz Company
Company History
Kraft Heinz History: Founding, Growth & Key Milestones
Founded 2015 in Chicago, Illinois
When was Kraft Heinz founded?
Kraft Heinz was founded in 2015 in Chicago, Illinois by James L. Kraft and H. J. Heinz, making it 11 years old.
- Founded
- 2015
- Founding place
- Chicago, Illinois
- Founders
- James L. Kraft and H. J. Heinz
- Headquarters today
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Chicago, Illinois
- Milestones documented
- 14 (1869–2026)
- Current CEO
- Steve Cahillane
- Acquisitions
- 5
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1869 | H.J. Heinz Begins Bottling Horseradish |
| 1876 | Introduction of Heinz Tomato Ketchup |
| 1903 | James L. Kraft Starts Cheese Business |
| 1915 | Kraft Develops Pasteurized Cheese Process |
| 1937 | Introduction of Kraft Dinner |
| 1959 | Introduction of Kraft Singles |
| 1988 | Philip Morris Acquires Kraft |
| 2010 | Kraft Acquires Cadbury |
| 2015 | Merger of Kraft and Heinz |
| 2019 | $15.4 Billion Impairment and SEC Probe |
| 2020 | Divestiture of Natural Cheese Business |
| 2025 | FY2025 Net Sales Fall to $24.942 Billion |
| 2026 | Steve Cahillane Appointed CEO |
| 2026 | Q2 2026 Beat and $7.4 Billion Impairment |
- Where was Kraft Heinz founded?
- Kraft Heinz was founded in Chicago, Illinois in 2015.
- Who founded Kraft Heinz?
- Kraft Heinz was founded by James L. Kraft and H. J. Heinz.
- When did Kraft Heinz start?
- Kraft Heinz was founded in 2015.
- How old is Kraft Heinz?
- Kraft Heinz is 11 years old as of 2026.
Founding Story
In 1869 Henry J. Heinz saw that packaged food in America was often unsafe. Manufacturers used harmful preservatives and sold products in dark glass that hid their contents. Heinz bottled his horseradish, and later ketchup, in clear glass jars so customers could see what they were buying. That commitment to showing the product built one of the most trusted names in food.
Founders
James L. Kraft
Kraft Heinz possesses a profound, dualistic founding story, representing the historic amalgamation of two well-known, innovative 19th-century food pioneers who essentially invented modern, mass-produced convenience foods. The 'Heinz' lineage was founded in 1869 by Henry John Heinz in Sharpsburg, Pennsylvania. Heinz was an effective, obsessive marketer. At the time, processed food was dangerous and frequently adulterated with amounts of toxic chemicals. Heinz's foundational key move was insisting on purity. He famously sold his very first product (horseradish) in clear glass bottles so consumers could physically see the purity of the ingredients. By 1876, he introduced Heinz Tomato Ketchup and executed well-known, marketing campaigns (inventing the famous '57 Varieties' slogan despite actually producing over 60 products at the time). The 'Kraft' lineage was founded in 1903 in Chicago by James L. Kraft, an ambitious Canadian immigrant. Kraft started with just $65 and a horse-drawn wagon, buying wheels of cheese and reselling them to local grocers. However, he faced a frustrating problem: cheese spoiled quickly. His world-changing invention occurred in 1916. He patented a complex process to pasteurize and blend cheese, creating the very first commercially viable, mass-produced 'processed cheese.' This invention transformed food logistics (the US military bought quantities of Kraft cheese in tins during WWI). Both Heinz and Kraft transformed localized, perishable agricultural products into globally distributed, shelf-stable industrial empires. The controversial 2015 mega-merger engineered by Wall Street forcefully combined these two historic, proud culinary legacies into a single, scrutinized financial vehicle. James L. Kraft was born in 1874 in Stevensville.
H. J. Heinz
Henry John Heinz was an American entrepreneur who founded the H.J. Heinz Company in 1869. Starting with a small bottling operation for horseradish in Sharpsburg, Pennsylvania, Heinz built a food empire based on a commitment to quality and transparency. His decision to use clear glass bottles for his horseradish was influential, allowing consumers to see the purity of the product, a stark contrast to the adulterated foods that dominated the market at the time. Heinz introduced his well-known tomato ketchup in 1876, which became the foundation of the company's global success. The company's famous '57 Varieties' slogan was adopted in 1896, inspired by a shoe store advertisement Heinz saw while riding a train in New York City. Heinz was a pioneer in food safety and employee benefits, introducing medical insurance and recreation facilities for his workers decades before they became standard practice. His commitment to quality, transparency, and employee welfare established a corporate culture that guided the Heinz company for over a century before its merger with Kraft in 2015. (Exact birth year remains publicly undisclosed).
Key Milestones
H.J. Heinz Begins Bottling Horseradish
Henry John Heinz starts bottling horseradish in Sharpsburg, Pennsylvania, using clear glass bottles to demonstrate product purity, establishing the foundation for the Heinz brand.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgIntroduction of Heinz Tomato Ketchup
The Heinz company introduces its well-known tomato ketchup, which becomes the foundation of the company's global success and the most recognized condiment brand in the world.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgJames L. Kraft Starts Cheese Business
James L. Kraft starts a wholesale cheese business in Chicago with a horse and wagon, laying the groundwork for what would become the Kraft Foods empire.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgKraft Develops Pasteurized Cheese Process
Kraft develops a pasteurization process that allows cheese to be packaged and shipped without spoiling, leading to contracts with the US military during World War I.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgIntroduction of Kraft Dinner
Kraft introduces Kraft Dinner (Macaroni & Cheese), a product that becomes a staple of the American diet during the Great Depression and World War II due to its affordability and long shelf life.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgIntroduction of Kraft Singles
Kraft introduces Kraft Singles, individually wrapped processed cheese slices that become one of the best-selling cheese products in the United States.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgPhilip Morris Acquires Kraft
Philip Morris Companies acquires Kraft for $12.9 billion, one of the largest corporate acquisitions in history at the time, marking the beginning of a new era of consolidation for the company.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgKraft Acquires Cadbury
Kraft Foods acquires the British confectionery giant Cadbury for $19.6 billion, significantly expanding its global snack and confectionery portfolio before spinning off its North American grocery business in 2012.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgMerger of Kraft and Heinz
Kraft Foods Group merges with H.J. Heinz Holding Corporation, owned by Berkshire Hathaway and 3G Capital, on July 2, 2015. Berkshire and 3G invested $10 billion to fund a special dividend to Kraft shareholders, and the deal created the third-largest food and beverage company in North America.
Source: en.wikipedia.org$15.4 Billion Impairment and SEC Probe
Kraft Heinz records a $15.4 billion impairment of Kraft and Oscar Mayer brand and goodwill values, cuts its dividend, and discloses an SEC subpoena over procurement accounting. The SEC case was settled in 2021 with a $62 million penalty.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgDivestiture of Natural Cheese Business
Kraft Heinz agrees to sell most of its natural cheese business to Lactalis for about $3.2 billion; the deal closed in 2021, the same year Planters was sold to Hormel for $3.35 billion.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgFY2025 Net Sales Fall to $24.942 Billion
Kraft Heinz reported $24.942 billion in FY2025 net sales, a $4.669 billion operating loss, a $5.846 billion net loss, and about 35,000 employees after non-cash impairment losses weighed on results.
Source: news.kraftheinzcompany.comSteve Cahillane Appointed CEO
Steve Cahillane becomes CEO on January 1, 2026. In February he pauses the planned separation into two companies and commits about $600 million of extra investment, raised to about $700 million in August 2026.
Source: news.kraftheinzcompany.comQ2 2026 Beat and $7.4 Billion Impairment
Q2 2026 net sales fall 1.4% to $6.262 billion, beating forecasts; Kraft Heinz raises its 2026 organic sales outlook but records a $7.4 billion non-cash impairment.
Source: news.kraftheinzcompany.comMajor Acquisitions
Kraft Foods Group (merger with H.J. Heinz)
2015H.J. Heinz Holding, owned by Berkshire Hathaway and 3G Capital, merged with Kraft Foods Group, with Berkshire and 3G funding a $10 billion special dividend for Kraft shareholders. Heinz shareholders owned 51% of the combined company.
Cerebos Pacific (Australia and New Zealand sauces and condiments)
2018Kraft Heinz bought Cerebos's Australia and New Zealand food business to add local sauce and condiment brands.
Assan Foods
2021Turkish sauce and condiment maker acquired from Kibar Holding to expand Kraft Heinz's sauce manufacturing in Europe and the Middle East.
Companhia Hemmer
2021Brazilian condiment and sauce maker acquired to grow Kraft Heinz's Taste Elevation platform in Latin America.
The Kraft Heinz Not Company (joint venture with NotCo)
2022Joint venture with Chilean food-tech company NotCo to develop plant-based versions of Kraft Heinz brands using NotCo's AI formulation platform.
Keep researching Kraft Heinz
Kraft Heinz Company History FAQ
When was the H.J. Heinz Company founded in Pennsylvania?
The H.J. Heinz Company was founded in 1869 in Sharpsburg, Pennsylvania, by Henry John Heinz and L. Clarence Noble, introducing pure bottled horseradish, pickles, and launching Heinz Tomato Ketchup in 1876.
When was Kraft Foods founded in Chicago?
Kraft Foods was founded in 1903 in Chicago, Illinois, by James L. Kraft, who patented pasteurized processed cheese in 1916 and introduced Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Dinner during the Great Depression in 1937.
How did Philip Morris acquire and consolidate Kraft and General Foods?
Tobacco giant Philip Morris Companies acquired General Foods in 1985 for $5.6 billion and Kraft, Inc. in 1988 for $12.9 billion, merging them into Kraft General Foods (later Kraft Foods Inc.) before spinning off Kraft to shareholders in 2007.
How did Kraft Foods split into Mondelez and Kraft Foods Group in 2012?
In October 2012, Kraft Foods Inc. split into two independent publicly traded companies: Mondelēz International (focusing on global snack brands like Oreo, Ritz, and Cadbury) and Kraft Foods Group (focusing on North American grocery brands).
When was The Kraft Heinz Company formed through the 2015 mega-merger?
On July 2, 2015, Kraft Foods Group and H.J. Heinz completed their $49 billion merger orchestrated by 3G Capital and Berkshire Hathaway, creating the third-largest food and beverage company in North America.
How did Kraft Heinz handle the 2019 financial restructuring?
In 2019, under new then-CEO Miguel Patricio, Kraft Heinz restructured its business model: taking a $15.4 billion non-cash brand write-down, ending extreme zero-based budgeting, divesting $6.6 billion in non-core assets, and reinvesting hundreds of millions in brand marketing.
How did Kraft Heinz expand into plant-based foods with NotCo in 2022?
In 2022, Kraft Heinz formed 'The Kraft Heinz Not Company' joint venture with AI food-tech company NotCo, rolling out plant-based Kraft Singles, plant-based Kraft Mac & Cheese, and NotMayo to capture vegan consumer demand.
What is Kraft Heinz's position and global reach today?
Today, The Kraft Heinz Company generates over $25 billion in annual revenue with well-known brands like Heinz, Kraft, Oscar Mayer, and Philadelphia, delivering beloved food products to hundreds of millions of households across more than 40 countries.
How did Kraft Heinz start?
The modern conglomerate was formed in 2015 through a massive $62 billion mega-merger between Kraft Foods (founded in 1903 by James L. Kraft) and H.J. Heinz Company (founded in 1869 by Henry J. Heinz). The merger was heavily orchestrated by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway and the ruthless Brazilian private equity firm 3G Capital, creating the fifth-largest food company in the world.
Related Companies
Compare The Kraft Heinz Company History With Competitors
Related Strategic History
Compare founding milestones and corporate evolution
Explore Kraft Heinz
Core profile pages, founders and related research hubs for this company.