The Hershey Company Appoints Mitchell Arends as Chief Supply Chain Officer
The Hershey Company has announced the appointment of Mitchell Arends as its new Chief Supply Chain Officer, effective June 22, 2026. The leadership transition represents an important milestone for the iconic confectionery and snacks manufacturer as it continues to strengthen its operations, expand digital capabilities, and position its supply chain for future growth.
Arends will succeed Jason Reiman, a highly respected Hershey executive who is retiring after an impressive 30-year career with the company. To ensure a seamless and carefully managed transition, Reiman will remain with Hershey through April 2027, working closely with Arends on strategic initiatives and leadership handover activities.
The announcement reflects Hershey’s commitment to maintaining operational excellence while advancing innovation across its manufacturing, procurement, logistics, and planning functions.
Experienced Supply Chain Leader Joins Hershey
Mitchell Arends brings more than 25 years of extensive supply chain and operational leadership experience in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry. Throughout his career, he has managed large-scale supply chains, overseen transformational initiatives, and led organizations through periods of significant growth and modernization.
Before joining Hershey, Arends served at UTZ Brands as Executive Vice President, Principal Operating Officer, and Chief Integrated Supply Chain Officer. In that role, he held full operational responsibility for a business generating approximately $1.5 billion in revenue. His oversight extended across multiple critical functions, including supply chain management, research and development, organizational transformation programs, and direct store delivery operations.
During his tenure at UTZ Brands, Arends played a key role in driving operational efficiencies, improving supply chain performance, and supporting the company’s growth strategy. His leadership helped strengthen integration across various business functions while ensuring that products reached consumers efficiently and effectively.
Prior to his time at UTZ, Arends held a senior leadership role at Kraft Heinz, one of the largest food and beverage companies in the world. As Chief Supply Chain Officer for North America, he managed a vast supply chain network supporting approximately $22 billion in business operations. His responsibilities included manufacturing, procurement, logistics, planning, and distribution activities across numerous facilities and product categories.
This broad experience managing highly complex supply chain environments is expected to bring valuable expertise to Hershey as the company continues to evolve its operations and adapt to changing market demands.
Building on a Strong Foundation
Hershey President and Chief Executive Officer Kirk Tanner expressed confidence in Arends’ ability to lead the company’s supply chain into its next phase of development.
According to Tanner, Arends possesses the combination of strategic vision, operational expertise, and people-focused leadership required to guide Hershey through future opportunities and challenges. His experience transforming supply chains in the consumer packaged goods sector aligns closely with Hershey’s long-term objectives of improving agility, efficiency, and innovation throughout its network.
Tanner also highlighted the significant contributions made by Jason Reiman during his three decades with the company.
Reiman’s journey from intern to Chief Supply Chain Officer has become a notable example of Hershey’s culture of leadership development and long-term employee commitment. Throughout his career, he helped shape a supply chain organization that has become increasingly sophisticated, resilient, and capable of supporting the company’s growth ambitions.
Under Reiman’s leadership, Hershey implemented several major initiatives that strengthened its manufacturing and supply chain capabilities. These included bringing important production capacity and confectionery capabilities in-house, enhancing operational control and flexibility.
He also oversaw the development of two fully digitally integrated manufacturing facilities, helping position Hershey at the forefront of modern manufacturing practices. In addition, Reiman played a crucial role in building the company’s salty snacks network, which now operates with approximately 80 percent of production insourced.
These investments have contributed significantly to Hershey’s ability to respond to consumer demand, manage supply chain disruptions, and support continued expansion across multiple product categories.
Focus on Supply Chain Modernization
As Chief Supply Chain Officer, Arends will assume end-to-end responsibility for Hershey’s integrated supply chain operations.
His leadership portfolio will encompass manufacturing, procurement, logistics, planning, and broader operational strategy. One of his primary objectives will be accelerating the company’s digital transformation efforts and increasing the use of advanced technologies across the supply chain.
Digital integration has become a critical priority for consumer goods companies as they seek to improve visibility, efficiency, and responsiveness throughout increasingly complex supply networks. By leveraging data analytics, automation technologies, and advanced planning systems, organizations can better anticipate market changes, optimize inventory levels, and improve customer service.
Arends is expected to lead initiatives aimed at expanding automation capabilities and advancing insights-driven decision-making throughout Hershey’s operations. These efforts will support the company’s broader strategy of creating a more agile and resilient supply chain capable of meeting evolving consumer expectations.
The company also plans to continue investing in integrated planning systems that connect different areas of the business, enabling faster and more coordinated responses to market opportunities and operational challenges.
Collaborative Transition Through 2027
To support continuity and long-term success, Jason Reiman will remain actively involved during the transition period through the first quarter of 2027.
Working alongside Arends, Reiman will help advance several key modernization initiatives, including integrated business planning, digital capability development, and network optimization projects. This collaborative approach is designed to preserve institutional knowledge while enabling fresh perspectives and new leadership strategies.
The transition period will provide Arends with valuable insights into Hershey’s operations, culture, and strategic priorities while ensuring ongoing momentum across critical supply chain initiatives.
Such leadership transitions are particularly important in today’s business environment, where supply chains face growing complexity due to global economic conditions, changing consumer behavior, technological advancements, and increasing sustainability expectations.
Commitment to People and Communities
For Arends, leadership extends beyond operational excellence and technological advancement.
He emphasized that building a future-ready supply chain involves investing in people and developing talent capable of sustaining transformation over the long term. While automation and digital technologies are essential tools, he believes the success of any transformation ultimately depends on the individuals responsible for implementing and managing those systems.
Arends also highlighted the importance of supporting the communities in which Hershey operates. By creating opportunities for employee development and strengthening local partnerships, he aims to ensure that operational improvements generate positive impacts beyond the company’s facilities.
His leadership philosophy aligns closely with Hershey’s longstanding values of community engagement, employee development, and responsible business practices.
A Legacy of Leadership
As he prepares for retirement, Jason Reiman reflected on his three-decade career with the company and expressed confidence in the future of Hershey’s supply chain organization.
Reiman described leadership as a relay, emphasizing the importance of preparing the next generation of leaders to carry forward the work of continuous improvement and innovation. He praised Arends’ experience, vision, and values, noting that he is well-equipped to build on the progress already achieved.
Reiman also acknowledged the many colleagues and teams who contributed to the company’s success throughout his career, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to help shape one of the food industry’s most respected supply chain organizations.
With Mitchell Arends set to take the helm and a structured transition plan in place, Hershey is entering a new chapter focused on operational excellence, digital innovation, talent development, and long-term supply chain resilience. The appointment underscores the company’s commitment to maintaining a world-class supply chain capable of supporting growth while continuing to deliver some of the world’s most beloved confectionery and snack products to consumers around the globe.
Source Link:https://www.thehersheycompany.com/
