Dive Brief:
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Ferrero named company insider Jean-Baptiste Santoul as chief operating officer for the WK Kellogg business, tasking the former chief sales and business development officer with overseeing the Rice Krispies and Froot Loops giant it recently purchased for $3.1 billion.
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The Nutella maker also announced that Gary Pilnick, who was CEO of WK Kellogg, left at the end of 2025. He ran WK Kellogg after Kellogg split up its snacks and cereal businesses in 2023.
- Santoul, a former Unilever executive, said it is “a pivotal time for WK Kellogg Co and for the future of cereal in North America.” He vowed to “accelerate growth, [and] strengthen our market leadership.”
Dive Insight:
Fresh off its multi-billion-dollar purchase, Ferrero is tapping a familiar name to run the newest part of its sprawling food operations.
At the time of the acquisition last summer, the Luxembourg-based company touted the purchase of WK Kellogg as a way to deepen its presence in North America, where it already had a portfolio covering everything from ice cream and protein bars to cookies and confections. But some questioned whether cereal, which has seen sales slide as consumers move toward healthier and portable options, was the answer.
In leading WK Kellogg, Santoul will be responsible for maintaining the company’s legacy cereal business, while further expanding its offerings into trendy, healthier categories such as protein and fiber. He’ll also be left to buffer cereal from outside attacks from the "Make America Healthy Again" movement. WK Kellogg was a focal point of the FDA’s push to encourage companies to remove artificial colors from their foods.
“Our company’s rich heritage and portfolio of iconic brands have been part of consumers’ lives for generations, and today we’re poised to lead the category with renewed energy,” Santoul said.
