Hershey Names Former PepsiCo Exec Kirk Tanner as Next CEO
Kirk Tanner, the former chief executive of PepsiCo Beverages North America, is returning to the CPG industry as president and CEO of The Hershey Company, effective Aug.18.
Tanner will assume the role from current president and CEO Michele Buck, who previously announced at the beginning of the year that she planned to retire from the company. Buck will remain with the business in a senior advisory position through next summer.
“Kirk is a proven, high-impact leader in the food and beverage industry with a great combination of customer and consumer passion, commercial acumen and operational scale,” said Mary Kay Haben, lead independent director and chair of the CEO Search Committee, in a press release.
“With a track record of driving growth in complex global businesses, Kirk brings a focused, results-driven mindset. His deep experience in snacks, beverages, M&A and innovation—combined with public company CEO and board roles—makes him well suited to lead Hershey into the future,” Haben added.
Tanner previously spent nearly 32 years with PepsiCo in a variety of roles, including as president and COO of PepsiCo Beverages North America before spending his final five years with the business as CEO of the unit where he oversaw a $28 billion operation including brands like Pepsi, Gatorade, Mountain Dew and Bubly.
In 2024, he moved to the restaurant side of the food and drink business in his current role as CEO of The Wendy’s Company.
“I am truly honored to be chosen as the next leader of a company I’ve long admired,” Tanner said in the release. “Throughout my career, I’ve remained focused on the three pillars that drive success: understanding and delighting consumers, building strong partnerships with customers and investing in colleagues. This commitment to the three Cs will continue to guide our strategic decisions and fuel the growth of Hershey’s iconic brands––all while having fun with our employees and customers.”
Buck has spent over 20 years at Hershey and has served as president and CEO since 2017. In January, she announced that she will retire from the company effective June 30, 2026.
“I am thrilled to see Kirk step into the role and look forward to working closely to help him onboard as he makes the transition to Hershey,” Buck said in the release. “Leading this business and having the privilege to work with such an exceptional team to transform Hershey into a multi-category snacking leader— building one of the industry’s most robust portfolios and the capabilities to drive current and future growth— has been the greatest honor of my career.”
The executive swap comes as Hershey’s confections sales have softened while it expands its portfolio of salty snacks, acquiring LesserEvil in April for a reported $750 million.
In the first quarter of 2025, ending March 30, Hershey reported a 13.8% net sales decline to $2.8 billion, with North American Salty Snacks standing out as a silver lining with 1% growth to $277.8 million.
At the time, Buck said that the company’s Salty Snacks portfolio is “well-positioned in the current environment with permissible and better-for-you brands continuing to resonate with consumers and driving overall category growth.”
