HERSHEY, Pa. -- The Hershey Co. said that Andrea Thomas has been named vice president of global chocolate. Thomas, who joins Hershey from Frito-Lay Inc. where she was vice president of innovation, will be responsible for global platform innovation and branding for Hershey's chocolate portfolio. She will report to Thomas K. Hernquist, senior vice president and global chief growth officer.
Thomas will lead the development of global brand growth strategies for Hershey, define global positioning for the company's chocolate franchises such as Hershey's, Kisses [image-nocss] and Reese's, and create and launch new confectionery platforms. She will work closely with Hershey's global research and development and integrated business insights teams to deliver new benefits that meet the needs of consumers in key international markets.
"We see immense global opportunities for our core chocolate brands and for launching new confectionery platforms to meet emerging consumer needs," said Hernquist. "Andrea is an excellent choice to lead this effort. She has a truly outstanding record of driving growth through innovation and her commitment to winning in competitive markets will be invaluable."
At Frito-Lay, Thomas was responsible for managing the salty snack innovation pipeline. Previously, she had served as vice president of retail marketing and promotions, and led marketing for the Fritos and Tostitos brands. Prior to joining Frito-Lay, Thomas was director of new product marketing at Pizza Hut Inc.
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