Hershey appoints Mitchell Arends as chief provide chain officer – overview
- Mitchell Arends appointed Hershey chief provide chain officer from June 2026
- Arends brings CPG provide chain expertise from UTZ and Kraft Heinz
- Jason Reiman retires after 30 years making certain structured management transition
- New CSCO holds end-to-end accountability throughout procurement logistics planning
- Hershey prioritises digital integration automation and insights pushed provide chain planning
The Hershey Firm has introduced the appointment of Mitchell Arends as its new chief provide chain officer (CSCO), efficient 22 June 2026.
Arends succeeds Jason Reiman, who’s retiring after 30 years with the confectionery big. Reiman will stay with Hershey till April 2027 “to make sure a radical and structured management transition”.
Who’s Mitchell Arends?
Arends joins Hershey from UTZ Manufacturers, the place he served as govt vice chairman, principal working officer, and chief built-in provide chain officer. Earlier than UTZ, he served as chief provide chain officer of North America at Kraft Heinz.
“Mitch is a confirmed transformational chief with the end-to-end mindset, observe document, and people-first strategy that can proceed to drive Hershey’s provide chain ahead,” says Hershey CEO Kirk Tanner. “His expertise throughout complicated operations within the CPG trade makes him well-suited to construct on the muse Jason has established.”
Tanner additionally thanks outgoing CSCO, saying his journey from intern to chief provide chain officer “displays the dedication and character” that outline Hershey.
“I’ve all the time believed that nice management is a relay,” says Reiman. “I’m proud at hand this baton to Mitch. He has the imaginative and prescient, the expertise, and the values to hold this work ahead and to uphold what Milton Hershey constructed. I’m grateful for yearly, for the folks I labored alongside, and for what this firm stands for.”
Arends could have end-to-end accountability for Hershey’s built-in provide chain – manufacturing, procurement, logistics, and planning. Hershey says Arends will give attention to accelerating digital integration and automation, and advancing insights-driven planning throughout the community.
“The chance to proceed constructing a provide chain for a few of the world’s most iconic merchandise is an thrilling second in my profession,” says Arends. “Constructing a provide chain match for the longer term means greater than deploying know-how or optimising networks. It means creating the expertise able to sustaining that transformation lengthy after any single initiative is full.”
