Europe Serves as Kraft Heinz’s Innovation Lab for Global Product Rollouts

Kraft Heinz, which generated roughly $25 billion in net sales in 2025 and sells more than 650 million bottles of ketchup annually, now commands almost half of Europe’s ketchup value market. After a period of underinvestment that eroded its European share, the firm relaunched underperforming mayonnaise and introduced zero-sugar, zero-salt ketchup, achieving over 20 % year-on-year growth. Chief growth officer Karen Owen describes Europe’s fragmented consumer landscape as a useful filter, testing products across diverse tastes before global rollout.

CEO Steve Cahillane announced that the company will replicate these European blueprints to turn around its U.S. operations. The strategy also targets Gen Z through partnerships with Morley’s and Popeyes, while adapting to trends such as weight-loss drug usage that drive demand for healthier foods.