The growth of the global food concern Kraft Heinz is being supported in Amsterdam from today. The multinational opens the Global Centre of Excellence at the Zuidas. From this talent base, experts devise ways to work more efficiently by creating globally applicable best practices. The efficiencies gained, will be invested in more innovation, marketing and training. The head office of the Benelux moved to Amsterdam. With a turnover of over $26 billion and over 200 brands, Kraft Heinz is the fifth largest food business in the world. The company is active in more than 200 countries.
The Global Centre of Excellence and new Benelux head offices at the Zuidas will be formally opened next week by the Zone President of Kraft Heinz EMEA, Rafa Oliveira, in the presence of, among others, US ambassador Pete Hoekstra and delegations from the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency and VU University.
'There are brilliant talents here. From the best universities in the world. Experts in specialisms such as media buying, manufacturing, supply chain, revenue management, and operations. Here the Kraft Heinz of the future is shaped. Through smart innovations. By introducing the best practices worldwide. With this centre we want to outline the contours of the food industry 3.0 ', says an enthusiastic Oliveira. In total, the office accommodates 450 employees. In fact, with 450 of our talented people based here in Amsterdam it is our largest office location in our Europe, Middle East and Africa Zone. Altogether with our R&D and Culinary Centre in Nijmegen and our Elst factory we have over 800 Kraft Heinz people here in The Netherlands.
Champions’ League of multinationals
Oliveira: 'It is not just that the Netherlands that is the growth engine of Kraft Heinz. 'Our ties go back to 1958 with the acquisition of our factory in Elst to build the largest ketchup factory in Europe. Our local brands such as Honig, Venz, Karvan Cévitam, Roosvicee and De Ruijter are much beloved local brands and give us roots as far back as 1860. Moreover, our second largest innovation center in the world is located in Nijmegen.’ The office is also very well connected since Amsterdam is in the central time zone we can cover the globe from our new tech office and are just ten minutes from Schiphol and its international flight connections.
Oliveira is happy that he is the new neighbour of the VU University and the University of Amsterdam. 'Our dynamic Kraft Heinz culture is grounded in Ownership and Meritocracy. Our CEO Benelux is just 32 years old and has grown in our organization from within moving across different countries and departments like finance, sales and category. Brilliant talents who share our dream and find new ways to growth and success. Talented students who want to be part of the Champions League of the multinationals are at the right address. That is why we have been working together with the Business School of the VU for some time to discover the pearls that will contribute to the further growth of Kraft Heinz.'
