Despite Near-Term Angst, We View Kraft Heinz's Commitment to Brand Investments as a Plus Long Term

Kraft Heinz benefited from consumers’ penchant for eating at home during the pandemic, with 85% of its sales resulting from traditional retail channels (brick-and-mortar and online). And while Kraft Heinz has succumbed to the weakening consumer narrative, we see the prudence in its revamped strategic road map over the longer term. This has been reflected in its improved share position and shelf space gains in the past few years. As a part of these efforts, since mid-2019, Kraft Heinz has prioritized the pursuit of efficiencies that prove lasting: brand spending elevation (marketing and product innovation), enhancement of its capabilities (category management and e-commerce), and scale leverage to more nimbly respond to changing market conditions, which we perceive as prudent.