Growth in emerging markets drove profits at US food giant Heinz during its second quarter, the company revealed today (19 November).

Ketchup maker Heinz booked net income from continuing operations of US$251.4m for the three months to 27 October, an increase of 3.4% on the year. Reported net income was up 8.6%. Operating income was up 2.1% at $417m.

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more

Reported net sales fell 1.2% to $2.61bn due to the impact of currency fluctuations, although on an organic basis, which excludes foreign exchange and M&A, sales grew 0.9%.

Heinz’s infant nutrition, ketchup and “nutritional” beverages businesses, combined with the impact of higher prices, particularly in Latin America drove a 10.2% increase in sales from emerging markets on an organic basis.

The company said all of its operating segments, aside from its US foodservice division, delivered organic sales growth during the quarter.

Heinz chairman, president and CEO Bill Johnson said: “Our strategy to accelerate growth in emerging markets is producing excellent results, especially in Asia, where Heinz is well-positioned with strong brands in growing economies that possess expanding numbers of new middle-class consumers. Emerging markets are driving our growth this year and are on track to generate at least 20% of the company’s total sales by 2013.”

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

Shares in the company were down 1% at 9:55 ET to $47.71 a share.

Click here for the full earnings statement from Heinz and click here for CEO Bill Johnson’s comments today on the potential for the company in China.

Just Food Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Just Food Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
Winning five categories in the 2025 Just Food Excellence Awards, Centric Software is setting the pace for digital transformation in food and FMCG. Explore how its integrated PLM and PXM suite delivers faster launches, smarter compliance and data-driven growth for complex, multi-channel product portfolios.

Discover the Impact