Kraft-Heinz maintains procurement focus with new CSO appointment

Kraft-Heinz has announced that Janelle Aydin will replace Marcos Eloi Lima as Chief Procurement and Sustainability Officer on August 1.

In an SEC filing dated July 9, the food company noted that Lima is stepping down from his role as Executive Vice President and Chief Procurement and Sustainability Officer at the end of the month after more than five years.

Lima brought 20 years of procurement experience to the role, with background including 10 years at Brazilian brewing company Ambev and eight years at AB InBev before joining Kraft-Heinz in 2019. He will remain with the company as an advisor until March 6, 2026.

His replacement Aydin, currently North America Chief Procurement and Sustainability Officer, previously spent nearly 20 years in different procurement roles at beverage manufacturer Diageo. Like her predecessor, she will report directly to the CEO.

Kraft-Heinz sustainability goals and progress

Kraft-Heinz, which posted net sales of US$27 billion in 2023, is aiming to cut GHG emissions across all scopes by 50% by 2030 and achieve net zero by 2050. As of 2023, the company had achieved a 9.7% reduction in absolute emissions, from its 2021 baseline.

“While we have made progress in 2023, we have substantial work ahead of us. We are working to further embed our net zero strategy within our 10-year strategic plan and validate our targets and roadmaps by SBTi. To support our transition plan, we are evolving our capabilities to track and assess our Net Zero activities across departments. This will be crucial for ensuring data accuracy, verifying feasibility, and providing insights for decision-making, enhancing our governance of the process. We are still exploring investments in critical technologies including carbon removals, where we have clear scientific evidence of material GHG emissions reduction,” Kraft-Henz explained in its latest sustainability report.

More than 96% of the company’s carbon footprint sits in Scope 3, with agricultural inputs identified as “the greatest opportunity for reduction through increased collaboration and transitioning to regenerative agriculture”.