Kirk Tanner recently left burger chain Wendy’s after just over a year to take the top position at Hershey’s, an American multinational confectionery company headquartered in Hershey, Pennsylvania.
The move comes as Wendy’s has been struggling with slow sales, as more people choose to eat at home due to macroeconomic volatility. In 2025, its stock dropped by nearly 31%.
In January, Hershey announced that Michele Buck, the company’s CEO for more than seven years, would retire by 2026 and take a position as a senior advisor after a replacement was found.
Tanner began working at Hershey on August 18, one month after leaving Wendy’s.
Michael Gunther, an analyst, stated that Wendy’s may not be in the best position to benefit from Kirk Tanner’s departure.
“While Hershey faces challenges…we don’t surmise seismic change is necessary to steady its ship,” said Erin Lash, an analyst at Morningstar, adding that it appears Hershey is falling into capable hands.
Meet Kirk Tanner
Kirk Tanner began his career shortly after graduating from the University of Utah in 1992 with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. He started as a sales associate at Frito-Lay, a PepsiCo subsidiary. Tanner embarked on a lengthy and successful career with PepsiCo, starting in this entry-level position and eventually rising to leadership roles across various business units and regions.
Over the years, Kirk Tanner moved through the ranks at PepsiCo, taking on progressively more senior roles. Prior to becoming Vice President for the Mid-America and Mountain regions, he was responsible for overseeing sales operations in California. While serving as Vice President of Sales for PepsiCo in the United Kingdom and Ireland, he gained international experience, which exposed him to local and global markets.
Kirk Tanner’s leadership scope expanded further, especially within PepsiCo’s Global Foodservice and Frito-Lay divisions. Before becoming the head of PepsiCo’s Global Foodservice division, he was Senior Vice President and General Manager of Frito-Lay West. His strategic leadership in these roles significantly impacted PepsiCo’s distribution and partnership strategies in the retail and foodservice sectors.
In January 2019, Tanner was named CEO of PepsiCo Beverages North America, a business segment valued at USD 26–28 billion. Under his direction, the division aimed to increase the visibility of flagship brands like Gatorade, Mountain Dew, Pepsi, and Bubly, while also driving product innovation and improving supply chain efficiency. Many attributed his strong performance in a competitive and complex market to his operational and commercial leadership.
In February 2024, Tanner left PepsiCo after more than 30 years to become President and CEO of Wendy’s, a fast-food chain. He brought a wealth of expertise in operations, foodservice strategy, and global branding when he succeeded Todd Penegor. It will be interesting to see how things unfold for Kirk Tanner at The Hershey Company.
Image Credits: The Hershey Company