PepsiCo has appointed Jaya Kumar as president of Quaker Foods & Snacks, which will see him lead the $2 billion operating unit, with a portfolio of brands that includes Quaker hot cereals and Chewy granola bars.

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Based in Chicago, he will report to PepsiCo Americas Foods CEO John Compton.


“Jaya brings a powerful combination of innovation, marketing and retail capabilities to his new role at Quaker,” said Compton. “As our global mega-brand for health and wellness, Quaker is the jewel of our good-for-you portfolio of food brands. Jaya’s passion for growth, coupled with his deep expertise in consumer and shopping insights, is an unbeatable recipe for taking Quaker through its next chapter of growth.”


Since joining PepsiCo in 2005, Kumar has worked with PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay North America unit, most recently serving as the division’s chief marketing officer.


Prior to joining PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay business, Kumar had 18 years of international and domestic brand management and sales experience with a number of consumer goods companies such as at Kraft Foods.

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PepsiCo, in late September, named former Sara Lee executive Heidi Kleinbach-Sauter as senior vice president for R&D within its global foods business.


The US food and beverage giant, which had also earlier announced the imminent departure of Mike White, the head of its international operations, said Kleinbach-Sauter would head up its R&D within foods worldwide.

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