Kraft Heinz has blown the ink dry on a deal to be the official condiment of the National Football League (NFL), the food and beverage colossus announced this morning.
The five-year partnership—dollar value not revealed—will give some 20 brands from the CPG giant’s portfolio high visibility in football venues and open the door for a range of marketing initiatives, including limited-edition products, retail displays, and local advertising connected to the NFL’s 32 teams.
“Foundationally, it’s just a natural fit—our brands are staples when people are watching sports,” Kraft Heinz CMO Todd Kaplan told ADWEEK. “[We’re] pairing one of the world’s most recognizable food portfolios with the most-watched sports league in the U.S.”
But the most notable feature of the deal may be its timing.
Prior to February, plans called for Kraft Heinz to spin itself off into two publicly traded companies—a “Global Taste Elevation Co.” consisting of marquee brands like Kraft Mac & Cheese, Philadelphia cream cheese, and Heinz condiments; and a “North American Grocery Co.” that would have included Oscar Mayer hot dogs, bacon, and cold cuts, as well as Kraft Singles, and Lunchables.
“This move will unleash the power of our brands and unlock the potential of our business,” CEO Carlos Abrams-Rivera said at the time.
But by the close of Q4 last month, Kraft Heinz’s net sales had dropped by 3.4% while gross profits for the fiscal year had fallen by 7.3%. As part of the company’s 2026 outlook, new CEO Steve Cahillane announced that the spinoff plans were on hold.
“My number one priority is returning the business to profitable growth, which will require ensuring all resources are fully focused on the execution of our operating plan,” said Cahillane, who’d moved into the corner office just 41 days earlier. “As a result, we believe it is prudent to pause work related to the separation.”
Of the $600 million the company has earmarked to invest in its quest for better earnings, a large portion will go to marketing, with the NFL partnership as its first major component.
The Chicago-based company has struggled in the decade since Berkshire Hathaway partnered with 3G Capital to merge Kraft and Heinz into a $60 billion conglomerate. In February of 2019, it stunned Wall Street by taking a $15.4 billion impairment charge, leading to a $12.6 billion loss for the fourth quarter. At the time, Kraft Heinz also announced that it was under investigation by the SEC. That inquiry resulted in formal charges of “improper expense management practices” in 2021, which Kraft Heinz paid $62 million to settle.
