Kellanova vs Kraft Heinz: Founders, CEOs and History

Company facts

Founders

CEOs and their tenures

Timeline: Kellanova and Kraft Heinz side by side

1. 1869Kraft Heinz

   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.

2. 1876Kraft Heinz

   Introduction 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.

3. 1894Kellanova

   The Accidental Invention of the Flaked Cereal

   Dr. John Harvey Kellogg and Will Keith Kellogg accidentally discover the process for creating toasted wheat flakes when stale boiled wheat is run through the rollers at the Battle Creek Sanitarium, producing hundreds of individual, thin, delicious flakes that…

4. 1903Kraft Heinz

   James 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.

5. 1906Kellanova

   Founding of the Battle Creek Toasted Corn Flake Company

   Following a bitter, irreparable feud with his brother over the commercialization and sweetening of the flake recipe, Will Keith Kellogg founds his own company, launching an aggressive marketing campaign to introduce the sugared corn flakes to the mass market,…

6. 1915Kraft Heinz

   Kraft 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.

7. 1928Kellanova

   Launch of Kellogg's Rice Krispies

   The enterprise introduces Rice Krispies, featuring the well-known 'Snap, Crackle, and Pop' marketing campaign, which becomes one of the most successful and enduring cereal brands in history, demonstrating the company's mastery of flavor innovation and characte…

8. 1937Kraft Heinz

   Introduction 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.

9. 1959Kraft Heinz

   Introduction 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.

10. 1964Kellanova

    Introduction of Pop-Tarts

    The enterprise launches Pop-Tarts, an influential, shelf-stable, frosted fruit pastry that can be toasted, creating an entirely new category of convenient, on-the-go breakfast and snacking that becomes a high-margin cash cow for the company.

11. 1988Kraft Heinz

    Philip 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.

12. 2001Kellanova

    Keebler Foods Acquisition

    Kellogg acquired Keebler Foods, adding Cheez-It, Club and Town House crackers that later became core Kellanova snack brands.

13. 2010Kraft Heinz

    Kraft 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.

14. 2012Kellanova

    Acquisition of the Pringles Business from P&G

    Kellogg acquired the global Pringles business from Procter & Gamble for $2.695 billion in cash, roughly doubling its international snacks business.

15. 2015Kraft Heinz

    Merger 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.

16. 2017Kellanova

    Steve Cahillane becomes CEO

    Steve Cahillane became CEO of Kellanova in 2017. Shifted Kellogg toward snacks and emerging markets and left after the Mars close.

17. 2019Kraft Heinz

    $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.

18. 2020Kraft Heinz

    Divestiture 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.

19. 2023Kellanova

    WK Kellogg Co Spin-Off and Kellanova Name

    On October 2, 2023, Kellogg Company spun off its North American cereal business as WK Kellogg Co and renamed itself Kellanova.

20. 2024Kellanova

    Mars Agrees to Buy Kellanova

    On August 14, 2024, Mars agreed to acquire Kellanova for $83.50 per share in cash, about $35.9 billion. Shareholders approved the deal on November 1, 2024.

21. 2025Kellanova

    Mars Completes Acquisition of Kellanova

    Mars completed its acquisition of Kellanova on December 11, 2025, integrating Pringles, Cheez-It, Pop-Tarts, RXBAR, Rice Krispies Treats, and Kellogg's international cereal brands into Mars Snacking.

22. 2025Kraft Heinz

    FY2025 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.

23. 2026Kraft Heinz

    Steve 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.

24. 2026Kraft Heinz

    Q2 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.

Acquisitions

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