In 2024, as part of our planned restructuring and divestiture activities, we sold a manufacturing facility in Papua New Guinea and a manufacturing facility in Indonesia within our Asia Emerging Markets operating segment and two manufacturing facilities in Russia within our West and East Emerging Markets operating segment.

In the first quarter of 2024, we changed the way we manage our product portfolio to align with our future growth strategy. As of December 28, 2024, we manage our sales portfolio through eight consumer-driven product platforms.

In the first quarter of 2024, we divided our International segment into three operating segments Europe and Pacific Developed Markets (“EPDM” or “International Developed Markets”), West and East Emerging Markets (“WEEM”), and Asia Emerging Markets (“AEM”) — to enable enhanced focus on the different strategies required for each of these regions as part of our long-term strategic plan.

Further, we continue to take measures to mitigate the impact of this inflation through efficiency initiatives, pricing actions, and hedging strategies. However, there has been, and we expect that there could continue to be, a difference between the timing of when these beneficial actions impact our results of operations and when the cost inflation is incurred.

We have evaluated and continue to evaluate changes to our organizational structure and operations to enable us to reduce costs, simplify or improve processes, and improve our competitiveness. Our future success may depend upon our ability to realize the benefits of these or other cost-saving initiatives.

We must also be able to respond successfully to technological advances by our competitors (including artificial intelligence, machine learning, and augmented reality, which may become critical in interpreting consumer preferences in the future), and failure to do so could compromise our competitive position and impact our product sales, financial condition, and operating results.

The food and beverage industry is highly competitive across all of our product offerings. Our principal competitors in these categories are manufacturers and retailers with their own branded and private label products. We compete based on product innovation, price, product quality, nutritional value, service, taste, convenience, brand recognition and loyalty, effectiveness of marketing and distribution, promotional activity, and the ability to identify and satisfy changing consumer preferences.

Consumer preferences for food and beverage products change continually and rapidly. Our success depends on our ability to predict, identify, and interpret the tastes and dietary habits of consumers. We must continue to offer products that appeal to consumers, including with respect to their health and wellness preferences and changing consumption patterns, such as those potentially associated with weight-loss drugs.

We are a global company with sales and operations in numerous countries within developed and emerging markets. Approximately 31% of our 2024 net sales were generated outside of the United States. As a result, we are subject to risks inherent in global operations.

In nearly all of our product categories, we compete with branded products as well as private label products, which are typically sold at lower prices. Our products must provide higher value or quality to consumers than alternatives, particularly during periods of economic uncertainty or weakness or inflation.

We have many iconic brands with long-standing consumer recognition across the globe. Our success depends on our ability to maintain brand image for our existing products, extend our brands to new platforms, and expand our brand image with new product offerings.

Retail customers, such as supermarkets, warehouse clubs, and food distributors in our major markets, may continue to consolidate, resulting in fewer but larger customers for our business across various channels. These larger customers may seek to leverage their positions to improve their profitability by demanding improved efficiency, lower pricing, more favorable terms, increased promotional programs, or specifically tailored product offerings.

We have implemented a number of initiatives, including development of an operations center and strategic long-term collaboration with suppliers, that we believe are important to position our business for future success and growth. We have evaluated and continue to evaluate changes to our organizational structure and operations to enable us to reduce costs, simplify or improve processes, and improve our competitiveness.

We purchase and use large quantities of commodities, including dairy products, meat products, tomato products, sugar and other sweeteners, soybean and vegetable oils, coffee beans, wheat and processed grains, eggs, and other fruits and vegetables to manufacture our products. In addition, we purchase and use significant quantities of plastics, cardboard, resin, glass, and metal to package our products, and we use other inputs, such as electricity, natural gas, and water, to operate our facilities.

Although we take measures to mitigate the impact of this inflation through pricing actions and efficiency initiatives, if these measures are not effective our financial condition, operating results, and cash flows could be materially adversely affected. Even if such measures are effective, we expect that there could be a difference between the timing of when these beneficial actions impact our results of operations and when the cost inflation is incurred.

Our research and development efforts focus on achieving the following four objectives: product innovations, renovations, and new technologies to meet changing consumer needs, support our environmental and sustainability goals, and drive growth.

We rely on information technology networks and systems, including the Internet, to process, transmit, and store electronic and financial information, to manage a variety of business processes and activities, and to comply with regulatory, legal, and tax requirements.

We must also be able to respond successfully to technological advances by our competitors (including artificial intelligence, machine learning, and augmented reality, which may become critical in interpreting consumer preferences in the future), and failure to do so could compromise our competitive position and impact our product sales, financial condition, and operating results.

On November 27, 2023, the Board authorized the Company to repurchase up to $3.0 billion, exclusive of fees, of our outstanding common stock through December 26, 2026. December 28, 2024, we had remaining authorization under the share repurchase program of approximately $1.9 billion.

We intend to use our cash on hand and commercial paper programs for daily funding requirements.

We expect 2025 capital expenditures to be approximately $1.0 billion.

Our activities throughout the world are highly regulated and subject to government oversight regarding environmental matters. Various laws concerning the handling, storage, and disposal of hazardous materials and the operation of facilities in environmentally sensitive locations may impact aspects of our operations.

We are committed to attracting, developing, and retaining world-class talent and creating an engaging and inclusive culture that embodies our Purpose, Dream, Values, and Leadership Principles. As of December 28, 2024, Kraft Heinz had approximately 36,000 employees globally.

Our November 2024 survey showed that we hit an all-time high for employee engagement since the 2015 Merger and achieved our aspiration to rank in the top-quartile on the Inclusion Index, which measures employees feeling like their opinions count, belonging and inclusive leadership.

Our performance has been in the past and may continue in the future to be impacted by economic and political conditions in the United States and in other nations where we do business. Economic and financial uncertainties in our international markets, changes to major international trade arrangements, and the imposition of increased or new tariffs by the U.S. federal government or by certain foreign governments could negatively impact our operations and sales.

Escalation of geopolitical tensions related to military conflict, including increased trade barriers or restrictions on global trade, could result in, among other things, supply chain disruptions, changes in consumer demand, increased cyberattacks, and impacts on foreign exchange rates and financial markets, any of which may adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

We have a complex network of suppliers, owned and leased manufacturing locations, co-manufacturing locations, distribution networks, and information systems that support our ability to consistently provide our products to our customers. Factors that are hard to predict or beyond our control, such as weather or other geological events or natural disasters, including hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, tsunamis, or wild fires (whether as a result of climate change or otherwise), raw material shortages, fires or explosions, political unrest, geopolitical conflicts, terrorism, civil strife, acts of war, public corruption, expropriation, generalized labor unrest or labor shortages, cybersecurity incidents, or pandemics, could damage or disrupt our operations or the operations of our customers, suppliers, vendors, co-manufacturers, distributors, or regulators.