Hershey appoints Mitchell Arends as chief supply chain officer – overview
- Mitchell Arends appointed Hershey chief supply chain officer from June 2026
- Arends brings CPG supply chain experience from UTZ and Kraft Heinz
- Jason Reiman retires after 30 years ensuring structured leadership transition
- New CSCO holds end-to-end accountability across procurement logistics planning
- Hershey prioritises digital integration automation and insights driven supply chain planning
The Hershey Company has announced the appointment of Mitchell Arends as its new chief supply chain officer (CSCO), effective 22 June 2026.
Arends succeeds Jason Reiman, who’s retiring after 30 years with the confectionery giant. Reiman will remain with Hershey until April 2027 “to ensure a thorough and structured leadership transition”.
Who is Mitchell Arends?
Arends joins Hershey from UTZ Brands, where he served as executive vice president, principal operating officer, and chief integrated supply chain officer. Before UTZ, he served as chief supply chain officer of North America at Kraft Heinz.
“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,” says Hershey CEO Kirk Tanner. “His experience across complex operations in the CPG industry makes him well-suited to build on the foundation Jason has established.”
Tanner also thanks outgoing CSCO, saying his journey from intern to chief supply chain officer “reflects the commitment and character” that define Hershey.
“I’ve always believed that great leadership is a relay,” says Reiman. “I’m proud to hand this baton to Mitch. He has the vision, the experience, and the values to carry this work forward and to uphold what Milton Hershey built. I’m grateful for every year, for the people I worked alongside, and for what this company stands for.”
Arends will have end-to-end accountability for Hershey’s integrated supply chain – manufacturing, procurement, logistics, and planning. Hershey says Arends will focus on accelerating digital integration and automation, and advancing insights-driven planning across the network.
“The opportunity to continue building a supply chain for some of the world’s most iconic products is an exciting moment in my career,” says Arends. “Building a supply chain fit for the future means more than deploying technology or optimising networks. It means developing the talent capable of sustaining that transformation long after any single initiative is complete.”
