CPGs may have some commitment issues, because it’s suddenly splitsville for a number of food and bev giants. Last week, Kraft Heinz said its 10-year relationship is dunzo, splitting up barbecue sweethearts Heinz ketchup and Oscar Mayer, among others, into two separate companies. The conscious uncoupling is the latest in a string of recently announced spinoffs across major CPGs that includes Keurig Dr Pepper and Unilever, and follows the Kellogg Company’s separation in 2023. The spinoff strategy isn’t necessarily new—if you look through Kraft Heinz’s family tree, you’ll see it was created through a previous spinoff that ultimately created Mondelez—but it’s one that’s recently been picking up steam. The volume of spin-offs might be making your head spin, so we’re breaking down the breakups—what’s going on, why they’re happening, and if we can expect even more CPGs to part ways next. What’s happening? Over the past few years, many CPGs have broken up on largely similar grounds (no, not irreconcilable differences). Earlier this month, Kraft Heinz said it’s splitting into one company focusing on sauces, spread, seasonings, and shelf-stable meals like Heinz ketchup and Kraft Mac & Cheese, and another on grocery staples like Kraft Singles and Oscar Mayer. The move, the company said, will help “more effectively deploy resources” between the more high-growth sauces and slower-growth grocery categories. Keep reading here.—EC | 
