Mondelēz International celebrates 10th anniversary, reaffirms long-term growth strategy

Mondelēz International celebrated its 10th anniversary with a global, enterprise-wide recommitment to its purpose of empowering people to snack right.

“We have so much to be proud of since Mondelēz International was born in 2012,” Dirk Van de Put, chairman and CEO, Mondelēz International, said in the announcement. “We have delivered sustained growth and strong financial performance, while continuously innovating to stay ahead of changing consumer tastes, and navigating a dynamic external environment. As we recognize this important milestone in our company’s young history, our 80,000 talented ‘makers and bakers’ around the world are even more passionate about creating the right snacks, for the right moments, made the right way for many years to come.”

Each October, Mondelēz International celebrates its annual Purpose Day – encouraging employees to pause, reflect, and refocus on their roles in advancing the company’s purpose. This year’s event features a wide range of community outreach, volunteering, mindfulness and wellness initiatives across the company’s global operations.

For example, Mondelēz International’s Latin America team is working with a local NGO to donate trees to help restore the Amazon through an innovative employee matching program. Employees in Japan are sponsoring educational initiatives to promote consumer understanding of mindful snacking. 

Mondelēz International also is rolling out an upgraded, fully digitized employee volunteering platform that links colleagues around the world to local community organizations.

The company’s celebration culminates with the ringing of the closing bell today on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange on Oct. 6 to mark Mondelēz International’s 10th year of listing.

Reinforcing Vision 2030 growth strategy

Mondelēz International unveiled the evolution of its growth strategy at its May 10 investor update event. The celebration reinforced the company’s commitment to its four strategic pillars:

• Growth: Accelerating growth and focusing its portfolio on generating 90% of revenue in chocolate and biscuits, including baked snacks.
• Execution: Investing more than $1 billion to become the digital commerce snacks leader – aiming to deliver 20% of revenues from digital channels by 2030 – while advancing future-forward commercial growth capabilities.
• Culture: Strengthening the company’s local-first operating model to further empower employees, promote a growth culture, and continue building a team of deep and diverse talent.
• Sustainability: Helping to drive positive change at scale across the company’s focused set of environmental, social, and governance priorities – creating long-term value for both the business and its stakeholders.

Celebrating first decade of growth

Since its launch in 2012, Mondelēz International has delivered strong returns to shareholders while investing in its communities and providing consumers with beloved brands that represent the “taste of the nation” in countries all over the world – providing both sustenance and indulgence. Key highlights in the company’s history include:

Increasing its focus on the fast-growing chocolate and biscuits categories, growing from 59% revenue contribution in 2012 to almost 80% today.

Spinning off its coffee business in 2015 to create successful joint ventures, while increasing focus on its core snacking portfolio and creating additional shareholder value.

Completing numerous strategic, growth-accretive acquisitions – including Chipita, Clif Bar & Company, Give & Go, and Tate’s Bake Shop – adding approximately $2.3 billion in revenue with attractive and sustainable profit pools.

Building a global presence across 150 countries, with 75% of revenue generated outside the United States and 35% from fast-growing emerging markets, where the company has grown at a robust 11.2% CAGR over the past three years.

Significantly improving annual free cash flow generation and returning more than $34 billion in capital to shareholders over the past 10 years through dividends and share repurchases.

Investing $400 million in Cocoa Life, the company’s signature program designed to source cocoa more sustainably while helping to tackle the root causes of complex challenges facing cocoa farming communities, and contributing more than $50 million since 2012 to organizations focused on healthy lifestyles through the Mondelēz International Foundation.

Making progress toward the company’s 2025 sustainability goals:

• Ingredients: By the end of 2021, 75% of cocoa volume for chocolate brands was sourced through Cocoa Life; on track to reach goal of 100% by 2025.
• Climate: In 2021, 32% of electricity used in manufacturing sites was renewable compared to 23% in 2020. This initiative was the most important contributor to our reduction of 56,000 tons of carbon emissions in 2021; on track to reach goal of 10% reduction in end-to-end CO2e emissions by 2025.
• Packaging: In 2021, achieved 95% of packaging designed to be recyclable; on track to reach goal of 100% by 2025.