Kraft Foods Group, Inc. (KRFT)

Kraft Foods Group was one of the largest packaged food and beverage companies in North America. Its portfolio included household brands such as Kraft macaroni and cheese, Oscar Mayer, Philadelphia cream cheese, Maxwell House, Jell-O, Velveeta and Planters. The company sold mainly through grocery chains, mass merchants and club stores in the United States and Canada. Its business was concentrated in grocery staples rather than global snacks.

The company was created in October 2012 when the former Kraft Foods Inc. split itself in two. The global snacks and confectionery business became Mondelez International, while the North American grocery business was spun off as Kraft Foods Group. Kraft Foods Group shares were distributed to existing holders and began trading on Nasdaq under the symbol KRFT. As a standalone company it focused on cost cutting, marketing of core brands and a steady dividend.

In March 2015 Kraft agreed to combine with H.J. Heinz, which was controlled by Berkshire Hathaway and 3G Capital. Under the terms, Kraft shareholders would own about 49 percent of the combined company and receive a special cash dividend of $16.50 per share funded by Berkshire and 3G. The deal created one of the largest food companies in the world, with a portfolio spanning ketchup, condiments, cheese, meats and coffee.

The merger closed on July 2, 2015, and each Kraft share was converted into one share of The Kraft Heinz Company. The new company began trading on Nasdaq under the symbol KHC on July 6, 2015, replacing KRFT. Kraft Heinz later went through years of brand write-downs and restructuring, and in 2025 it announced plans to separate into two companies.