Kraft Heinz Expects Sales Growth to Return in the Second Half of 2027, With Nearly Half Its Innovation Pipeline Aimed at Health and Wellness
At its Nov. 12 investor day, Kraft Heinz said organic net sales should be relatively flat in 2027, with growth returning in the second half. Nearly half of its innovation pipeline targets health and wellness, including higher protein, reduced sugar and simpler ingredients, Food Dive reported.
Kraft Heinz told investors on Nov. 12 that it expects organic net sales to be relatively flat in 2027, with growth returning in the second half of the year. Nearly half of its innovation pipeline is focused on health and wellness, including higher protein, reduced sugar and simpler ingredients, Food Dive reported from the presentation.
TLDR
- Kraft Heinz expects adjusted operating income to fall by a low single-digit percentage in 2027, then grow again in the second half, according to its release. Formal 2027 guidance comes with fourth-quarter results.
- The company expects new products to rise from about 3% of U.S. retail net sales this year to 5% in 2027, Food Dive reported.
- Lower-sugar ketchups Heinz Simply and Heinz Zero posted double-digit growth, according to Food Dive.
- The plan is backed by about $700 million in added investment in 2026, up from the $600 million announced in February, FoodNavigator reported.
What Kraft Heinz Laid Out
The company set milestones through 2029. It called 2026 a year to build momentum, 2027 a return to growth and 2028 a year of growth, with consistent, accelerated growth in 2029. By 2029, it is targeting double-digit total shareholder return, according to its release.
The company’s release named Heinz, Kraft, Philadelphia, Primal Kitchen and Lunchables among its brands. Food Dive reported that CEO Steve Cahillane canceled a planned split of the company. The release refers to a pause on work related to the separation.
Where the Money Is Going
FoodNavigator broke down the roughly $700 million: $325 million for marketing, $250 million for pricing, $75 million for sales, marketing and research and development talent, and $50 million for product and packaging improvements.
Cahillane said a decade of underinvestment weakened the brands with consumers and retailers, FoodNavigator reported. He said progress takes time because retailers reset shelves only a couple of times a year.
The Health and Wellness Pipeline
Food Dive reported that the company has moved Kraft Mac & Cheese into protein and Philadelphia cream cheese into lactose-free products. Its innovation pipeline leans on higher protein, reduced sugar and simpler ingredients.
TD Cowen analyst Robert Moskow said the plan to raise innovation’s share of sales sounds reasonable, Food Dive reported. He said success depends on whether the brands have credibility with shoppers whose nutrition needs are changing, such as protein, fiber and lower sugar.
Third-quarter net sales fell 2% to $6.12 billion, Food Dive reported. The company has also agreed to sell Maxwell House and other North American coffee brands to a private equity firm.
Why It Matters
Kraft Heinz describes itself as one of the world’s largest food and beverage companies. Its recovery plan puts reduced sugar, higher protein and simpler ingredients at the center of nearly half of its new products, with better-for-you versions of its biggest brands already among its growth drivers.
The company, which Food Dive described as a 157-year-old food manufacturer, has set the second half of 2027 as its target for a return to growth.
Sources: Kraft Heinz investor day release, filed with the SEC (Nov. 12, 2026); Food Dive (Christopher Doering, Nov. 13, 2026); FoodNavigator (Timothy Inklebarger, Nov. 13, 2026).