Hershey has named Mitchell Arends as chief supply chain officer, effective June 22, according to a May 28 press release.
Arends will succeed retiring Chief Supply Chain Officer Jason Reiman, per the release. Arends will oversee Hershey's supply chain, including manufacturing, procurement, logistics and planning. He will focus on accelerating digital integration, automation and insights-driven planning.
The 25-year CPG supply chain veteran joins Hershey from packaged snack foods company Utz Brands, where Arends served as EVP, principal operating officer, and chief integrated supply chain officer, Hershey said. At Utz, Arends managed a $1.5 billion business encompassing supply chain, research and development and direct-store delivery operations.
Before joining Utz, Arends was the chief supply chain officer for North America at Kraft Heinz, according to the press release. At Kraft Heinz, Arends oversaw a $22 billion supply chain, including manufacturing, logistics, planning and procurement.
"Mitch is a proven transformational leader with the end-to-end mindset, track record, and people-first approach that will continue to drive Hershey's supply chain forward," Hershey President and CEO Kirk Tanner said. "His experience across complex operations in the CPG industry makes him well-suited to build on the foundation Jason has established."
Arends will work with Reiman during a transition period through the first quarter of 2027, Hershey said. They will focus on modernizing the supply chain, emphasizing planning, digital capabilities, and network optimization. Reiman, a 30-year veteran of Hershey, is expected to remain with Hershey through April 2027.
The new appointment comes as Hershey pushes to modernize its supply chain using technology spanning sourcing, manufacturing, delivery and planning operations, Reiman told investors in March.
For example, Hershey uses decision-intelligence software to gather and analyze supply chain data and alert operations managers, Reiman said. The technology could increase productivity by $50 million and reduce inventory by $100 million over two years.
Other deployments include tools for commodity supply-and-demand detection, spend visibility, and cost modeling, Reiman said.
