Springboard Actively Looking to Partner with and Incubate
Fast-Growing, Disruptive Brands
PITTSBURGH & CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mar. 7, 2018--
Today The Kraft Heinz Company announced the launch of Springboard, a
platform dedicated to nurturing, scaling, and accelerating growth of
disruptive US brands within the food and beverage space.
The Springboard platform is seeking opportunities to develop brands with
authentic propositions and inspired founders within one of four pillars
that are shaping the future of the food and beverage space: Natural &
Organic, Specialty & Craft, Health & Performance and Experiential
brands. Founders will be encouraged to continue leading their businesses
with support and expertise from Kraft Heinz in go-to-market
capabilities, research and development and consumer insights.
“We are committed to support and partner with teams that will impact the
future of our industry,” said Sergio Eleuterio, General Manager,
Springboard Brands. “We are actively searching for emergent, authentic
brands that can expand into new categories, and are looking to build a
network of founders to help shape the future of foods and beverages.”
Springboard is also launching an incubator program, focused on nurturing
food and beverage startups at a pre-valuation stage in a dynamic 16-week
sprint in Chicago.
Starting today through April 5, the Springboard will accept applications
for first-to-market, disruptive food and beverage startups. Companies
selected to participate in the Springboard Incubator Program will have
the opportunity to receive financial support to build brands and
guidance to raise additional funding. The Incubator’s infrastructure
will provide program participants with a collaborative work environment
and invaluable business resources including dedicated workspace,
state-of-the-art pilot plants and commercial kitchens at Kraft Heinz
Innovation Center in Glenview, IL. Each participant will have the
opportunity to learn from The Kraft Heinz Company’s world-class
management practices, global operating scale, and extensive food safety
and quality capabilities.
For additional information on Springboard and to apply to the
Springboard Incubator, visit www.springboardbrands.com.
About The Kraft Heinz Company
The Kraft Heinz Company (NASDAQ:KHC) is the fifth-largest food and
beverage company in the world. A globally trusted producer of delicious
foods, The Kraft Heinz Company provides high quality, great taste and
nutrition for all eating occasions whether at home, in restaurants or on
the go. The Company's iconic brands include Kraft, Heinz, ABC,
Capri Sun, Classico, Jell-O, Kool-Aid, Lunchables,
Maxwell House, Ore-Ida, Oscar Mayer, Philadelphia,
Planters, Plasmon, Quero, Smart Ones and Velveeta.
The Kraft Heinz Company is dedicated to the sustainable health of our
people, our planet and our Company. For more information, visit www.kraftheinzcompany.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains a number of forward-looking statements.
Words such as "launch," "grow," "will," "encourage," "continue," "lead,"
"invest," "accelerate," "launch," “opportunity,” and variations of such
words and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking
statements. Examples of forward-looking statements include, but are not
limited to, statements regarding the Company's plans, objectives,
Springboard investments, developments, opportunities, and growth. These
forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and
are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are
difficult to predict and beyond the Company's control.
Important factors that may affect the Company's business and operations
and that may cause actual results to differ materially from those in the
forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, operating in
a highly competitive industry; changes in the retail landscape or the
loss of key retail customers; the Company’s ability to maintain, extend
and expand its reputation and brand image; the impacts of the Company’s
international operations; the Company’s ability to leverage its brand
value; the Company’s ability to predict, identify and interpret changes
in consumer preferences and demand; the Company’s ability to drive
revenue growth in its key product categories, increase its market share,
or add products; an impairment of the carrying value of goodwill or
other indefinite-lived intangible assets; volatility in commodity,
energy and other input costs; changes in the Company’s management team
or other key personnel; the Company’s ability to realize the anticipated
benefits from its cost savings initiatives; changes in relationships
with significant customers and suppliers; the execution of the Company’s
international expansion strategy; tax law changes or interpretations;
legal claims or other regulatory enforcement actions; product recalls or
product liability claims; unanticipated business disruptions; the
Company’s ability to complete or realize the benefits from potential and
completed acquisitions, alliances, divestitures or joint ventures;
economic and political conditions in the United States and in various
other nations in which we operate; the volatility of capital markets;
increased pension, labor and people-related expenses; volatility in the
market value of all or a portion of the derivatives we use; exchange
rate fluctuations; risks associated with information technology and
systems, including service interruptions, misappropriation of data or
breaches of security; the Company’s ability to protect intellectual
property rights; impacts of natural events in the locations in which we
or the Company’s customers, suppliers or regulators operate; the
Company’s indebtedness and ability to pay such indebtedness; the
Company’s ownership structure; the impact of future sales of its common
stock in the public markets; the Company’s ability to continue to pay a
regular dividend; changes in laws and regulations; restatements of the
Company’s consolidated financial statements; and other factors. For
additional information on these and other factors that could affect the
Company's forward-looking statements, see the Company's risk factors, as
they may be amended from time to time, set forth in its filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission). The Company disclaims and does not
undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking
statement in this press release, except as required by applicable law or
regulation.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180307005383/en/
Source: The Kraft Heinz Company
ALISON BROD MARKETING + COMMUNICATIONS
Brooke Scher Mogan,
212-230-1800
brooke@alisonbrodmc.com
or
The
Kraft Heinz Company
Lynne Galia, 847-646-4396
Lynne.galia@kraftheinzcompany.com
