Baking & Snack - June 2019 - 16

Flowers CEO discusses the
future and Project Centennial

Oreo connects with
young consumers

Meeting consumer expectations is key to maintaining momentum in legacy brands, said Dirk Van de Put, CEO of Mondelez
International, Inc., Deerfield, IL.
In an interview with CNBC's Sara Eisen on CNBC's Squawk on
the Street, Mr. Van de Put described a few of the ways Mondelez
has connected with consumers through its Oreo brand.
"Oreo is one of the most loved brands for millennials and for
Generation Z," Mr. Van de Put said. "And the reason that has come
to be is the fact that we have evolved as a brand with the times. The
purpose of the brand is to stay playful. And it's a message about
growing older but staying yourself and enjoying yourself, spending time with those who are close to you. And at the same time,
the consumer wants more and more different products. They want
different flavors, [and] they want experiences with brands. And
we were able to, in Oreo, to keep on having that connection with
millennials and Generation Z."
Mr. Van de Put said Mondelez conducts tests with the Oreo brand
to determine what's acceptable and when it may be going too far.
"We talked about things like Mango Oreo or Spicy Chicken
Oreo or Wasabi Oreo in China, which seemed a little bit far out
here," he explained. "But I think that's part of what we're trying
to do. We try to adapt to local consumers' tastes. But the testing
basically shows [if] the consumers like it and will there be enough
interest in that product so that it has enough sales."
He said that the company operates with an in-and-out mentality, which means that if a product is not selling well, it can
be removed.
- Eric Schroeder, Milling & Baking News

"Oreo is one of the most
loved brands for millennials
and for Generation Z."
Dirk Van de Put, Mondelez International

16 Baking & Snack June 2019 / www.bakingandsnack.com

A. Ryals McMullian, new CEO of Flowers Foods, Thomasville,
GA, told analysts during a May conference call that there
has been a clear shift of the collective
mindset at the company.
He said the company has shifted
"from one that was really more operationally and technically focused to one
that's now deeply strategic, forwardlooking and accountable for executing
with excellence."
He continued, "It's truly exciting and
very satisfying to be a part of this shift
McMullian
and to see it start to generate meaningful results."
Mr. McMullian succeeded Allen Shiver as CEO. Mr. Shiver
expressed pride over a 40-plus-year career at the company and
changes achieved during his tenure at its helm.
Since launching Project Centennial in 2017, the company
has restructured into a more brand- and consumer-focused
organization. Flowers continues to take actions to improve efficiencies and enhance profitability. With this transformation
underway, Mr. Shiver said it's the right time for this leadership transition.
"Ryals has been a driving force behind the efforts to extend
the company in the growing segments within our category,"
Mr. Shiver said.
For his part, Mr. McMullian tipped his cap to Mr. Shiver for
his years of service and for showing the fortitude necessary to
launch and execute Project Centennial, Flowers' multi-year restructuring initiative.
"It took a lot of conviction to embark on what ultimately became Project Centennial and to up the long-standing notions
of what success looks like in our company and in our industry,"
Mr. McMullian said.
Mr. McMullian said good progress has been made over the
past two years. The savings initiatives and organizational restructuring have generated cost savings that, along with improved price realization, have helped offset some of the inflationary pressures seen recently.
"And our realigned organization has clarified accountability
and driven our team to be hyper focused on building powerful brands, connecting meaningfully with our consumers and
improving our profitability," Mr. McMullian added. "And we're
gaining new insights from enhanced analytical capabilities that
help to provide heightened transparency in our business but
also inform better strategic decision-making. So across the
company and across functions, we're taking fresh approaches
to solving business challenges."
- Josh Sosland, Milling & Baking News

http://www.bakingandsnack.com

Baking & Snack - June 2019

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