Item 1A. Risk Factors.

We operate in a highly competitive industry.

The food and beverage industry is highly competitive across all of our product offerings. We compete based on product innovation, price, product quality, nutritional value, service, taste, convenience, brand recognition and loyalty, effectiveness of marketing and distribution, promotional activity, and the ability to identify and satisfy consumer preferences.

We may need to reduce our prices in response to competitive and customer pressures. These pressures may also restrict our ability to increase prices in response to commodity and other cost increases. Failure to effectively assess, timely change and set proper pricing or trade incentives may negatively impact the achievement of our objectives.

The rapid emergence of new distribution channels, particularly e-commerce, may create consumer price deflation, affecting our retail customer relationships and presenting additional challenges to increasing prices in response to commodity or other cost increases. We may also need to increase or reallocate spending on marketing, retail trade incentives, materials, advertising, and new product innovation to maintain or increase market share. These expenditures are subject to risks, including uncertainties about trade and consumer acceptance of our efforts. If we are unable to compete effectively, our profitability, financial condition, and operating results may suffer.

Changes in the retail landscape or the loss of key retail customers could adversely affect our financial performance.

Retail customers, such as supermarkets, warehouse clubs, and food distributors in our major markets, may continue to consolidate, resulting in fewer but larger customers for our business across various channels. Consolidation also produces larger retail customers that may seek to leverage their position to improve their profitability by demanding improved efficiency, lower pricing, more favorable terms, increased promotional programs, or specifically tailored product offerings. In addition, larger retailers have the scale to develop supply chains that permit them to operate with reduced inventories or to develop and market their own retailer brands. Retail consolidation and increasing retailer power could materially and adversely affect our product sales, financial condition, and operating results.

Retail consolidation also increases the risk that adverse changes in our customers’ business operations or financial performance may have a corresponding material and adverse effect on us. For example, if our customers cannot access sufficient funds or financing, then they may delay, decrease, or cancel purchases of our products, or delay or fail to pay us for previous purchases, which could materially and adversely affect our product sales, financial condition, and operating results.

In addition, technology-based systems, which give consumers the ability to shop through e-commerce websites and mobile commerce applications, are also significantly altering the retail landscape in many of our markets. If we are unable to adjust to developments in these changing landscapes, we may be disadvantaged in key channels and with certain consumers, which could materially and adversely affect our product sales, financial condition, and operating results.

Maintaining, extending, and expanding our reputation and brand image are essential to our business success.

We have many iconic brands with long-standing consumer recognition across the globe. Our success depends on our ability to maintain brand image for our existing products, extend our brands to new platforms, and expand our brand image with new product offerings.

We seek to maintain, extend, and expand our brand image through marketing investments, including advertising and consumer promotions, and product innovation. Negative perceptions on the role of food and beverage marketing could adversely affect our brand image or lead to stricter regulations and scrutiny of marketing practices. Existing or increased legal or regulatory restrictions on our advertising, consumer promotions, and marketing, or our response to those restrictions, could limit our efforts to maintain, extend, and expand our brands. Moreover, adverse publicity about legal or regulatory action against us, our quality and safety, our environmental or social impacts, or our suppliers and, in some cases, our competitors, could damage our reputation and brand image, undermine our customers’ confidence, and reduce demand for our products, even if the regulatory or legal action is unfounded or not material to our operations.

In addition, our success in maintaining, extending, and expanding our brand image depends on our ability to adapt to a rapidly changing media environment. We increasingly rely on social media and online dissemination of advertising campaigns. The growing use of social and digital media increases the speed and extent that information, including misinformation, and opinions can be shared. Negative posts or comments about us, our brands or our products, or our suppliers and, in some cases, our competitors, on social or digital media, whether or not valid, could seriously damage our brands and reputation. In addition, we might fail to anticipate consumer preferences, invest sufficiently in maintaining, extending, and expanding our brand image. If we do not maintain, extend, and expand our reputation or brand image, then our product sales, financial condition, and operating results could be materially and adversely affected.

Our international operations subject us to additional risks and costs and may cause our profitability to decline.

We are a global company with sales in approximately 190 countries and territories; approximately 30% of our 2017 net sales were generated outside of the United States. As a result, we are subject to risks inherent in global operations. These risks, which can vary substantially by market, are described in many of the risk factors discussed in this section and also include:

•	compliance with U.S. laws affecting operations outside of the United States, including anti-bribery laws such as the FCPA;

•	changes in the mix of earnings in countries with differing statutory tax rates, changes in the valuation of deferred tax assets and liabilities, changes in tax laws or their interpretation, or tax audit implications;

•	the imposition of increased or new tariffs, quotas, trade barriers or similar restrictions on our sales or regulations, taxes or policies that might negatively affect our sales;

•	currency devaluations or fluctuations in currency values;

•	compliance with antitrust and competition laws, data privacy laws, and a variety of other local, national and multi-national regulations and laws in multiple jurisdictions;

•	discriminatory or conflicting fiscal policies in or across foreign jurisdictions;

•	changes in capital controls, including currency exchange controls, government currency policies or other limits on our ability to import raw materials or finished product into various countries or repatriate cash from outside the United States;

•	challenges associated with cross-border product distribution;

•	changes in local regulations and laws, the uncertainty of enforcement of remedies in foreign jurisdictions, and foreign ownership restrictions and the potential for nationalization or expropriation of property or other resources;

•	risks and costs associated with political and economic instability, corruption, anti-American sentiment and social and ethnic unrest in the countries in which we operate;

•	the risks of operating in developing or emerging markets in which there are significant uncertainties regarding the interpretation, application and enforceability of laws and regulations and the enforceability of contract rights and intellectual property rights;

•	risks arising from the significant and rapid fluctuations in currency exchange markets and the decisions and positions that we take to hedge such volatility;

•	changing labor conditions and difficulties in staffing our operations;

•	greater risk of uncollectible accounts and longer collection cycles; and

•	design, implementation and use of effective control environment processes across our diverse operations and employee base.

In addition, political and economic changes or volatility, geopolitical regional conflicts, terrorist activity, political unrest, civil strife, acts of war, public corruption, expropriation and other economic or political uncertainties could interrupt and negatively affect our business operations or customer demand. Slow economic growth or high unemployment in the markets in which we operate could constrain consumer spending, and declining consumer purchasing power could adversely impact our profitability. All of these factors could result in increased costs or decreased sales, and could materially and adversely affect our product sales, financial condition, and results of operations.

We must leverage our brand value to compete against retailer brands and other economy brands.

In nearly all of our product categories, we compete with branded products as well as retailer and other economy brands, which are typically sold at lower prices. Our products must provide higher value and/or quality to our consumers than alternatives, particularly during periods of economic uncertainty. Consumers may not buy our products if relative differences in value and/or quality between our products and retailer or other economy brands change in favor of competitors’ products or if consumers perceive this type of change. If consumers prefer retailer or other economy brands, then we could lose market share or sales volumes or shift our product mix to lower margin offerings. A change in consumer preferences could also cause us to increase capital, marketing, and other expenditures, which could materially and adversely affect our product sales, financial condition, and operating results.

Our financial success depends on our ability to correctly predict, identify, and interpret changes in consumer preferences and demand, to offer new products to meet those changes, and to respond to competitive innovation.

Consumer preferences for food and beverage products change continually. Our success depends on our ability to predict, identify, and interpret the tastes and dietary habits of consumers and to offer products that appeal to consumer preferences, including with respect to health and wellness. If we do not offer products that appeal to consumers, our sales and market share will decrease, which could materially and adversely affect our product sales, financial condition, and operating results.

We must distinguish between short-term fads, mid-term trends, and long-term changes in consumer preferences. If we do not accurately predict which shifts in consumer preferences will be long-term, or if we fail to introduce new and improved products to satisfy those preferences, our sales could decline. In addition, because of our varied consumer base, we must offer an array of products that satisfy a broad spectrum of consumer preferences. If we fail to expand our product offerings successfully across product categories, or if we do not rapidly develop products in faster growing or more profitable categories, demand for our products could decrease, which could materially and adversely affect our product sales, financial condition, and operating results.

Prolonged negative perceptions concerning the health implications of certain food and beverage products could influence consumer preferences and acceptance of some of our products and marketing programs. We strive to respond to consumer preferences and social expectations, but we may not be successful in our efforts. Continued negative perceptions and failure to satisfy consumer preferences could materially and adversely affect our product sales, financial condition, and operating results.

In addition, achieving growth depends on our successful development, introduction, and marketing of innovative new products and line extensions. There are inherent risks associated with new product or packaging introductions, including uncertainties about trade and consumer acceptance or potential impacts on our existing product offerings. We may be required to increase expenditures for new product development. Successful innovation depends on our ability to correctly anticipate customer and consumer acceptance, to obtain, protect and maintain necessary intellectual property rights, and to avoid infringing upon the intellectual property rights of others. We must also be able to respond successfully to technological advances by and intellectual property rights of our competitors, and failure to do so could compromise our competitive position and impact our product sales, financial condition, and operating results.

We may be unable to drive revenue growth in our key product categories, increase our market share, or add products that are in faster growing and more profitable categories.

Our future results will depend on our ability to drive revenue growth in our key product categories and growth in the food and beverage industry in the countries in which we operate. Our future results will also depend on our ability to enhance our portfolio by adding innovative new products in faster growing and more profitable categories and our ability to increase market share in our existing product categories. Our failure to drive revenue growth, limit market share decreases in our key product categories, or develop innovative products for new and existing categories could materially and adversely affect our product sales, financial condition, and operating results.

An impairment of the carrying value of goodwill or other indefinite-lived intangible assets could negatively affect our consolidated operating results.

We test goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment at least annually in the second quarter or when a triggering event occurs. We performed our annual impairment testing in the second quarter of 2017. The first step of the goodwill impairment test compares the reporting unit’s estimated fair value with its carrying value. If the carrying value of a reporting unit’s net assets exceeds its fair value, the second step would be applied to measure the difference between the carrying value and implied fair value of goodwill. If the carrying value of goodwill exceeds its implied fair value, the goodwill would be considered impaired and would be reduced to its implied fair value. We test indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment by comparing the fair value of each intangible asset with its carrying value. If the carrying value exceeds fair value, the intangible asset would be considered impaired and would be reduced to its fair value.

Fair value determinations require considerable judgment and are sensitive to changes in underlying assumptions, estimates and market factors. Estimating the fair value of individual reporting units and indefinite-lived intangible assets requires us to make assumptions and estimates regarding our future plans, as well as industry and economic conditions. These assumptions and estimates include projected revenues and income growth rates, terminal growth rates, competitive and consumer trends, market-based discount rates, and other market factors. If current expectations of future growth rates are not met or market factors outside of our control, such as discount rates, change significantly, then one or more reporting units or intangible assets might become impaired in the future. As goodwill and intangible assets associated with recently acquired businesses are recorded on the balance sheet at their estimated acquisition date fair values, those amounts are more susceptible to an impairment risk if business operating results or macroeconomic conditions deteriorate. Additionally, recently impaired intangible assets can also be more susceptible to future impairment as they are recorded on the balance sheet at their recently estimated fair values.

An impairment of the carrying value of goodwill or other indefinite-lived intangible assets could negatively affect our operating results or net worth.

Commodity, energy, and other input prices are volatile and could negatively affect our consolidated operating results.

We purchase and use large quantities of commodities, including dairy products, meat products, coffee beans, nuts, soybean and vegetable oils, sugar and other sweeteners, corn products, tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes, onions, other fruits and vegetables, spices, flour, and wheat to manufacture our products. In addition, we purchase and use significant quantities of resins, cardboard, glass, plastic, metal, paper, fiberboard, and other materials to package our products and we use other inputs, such as water and natural gas, to operate our facilities. We are also exposed to changes in oil prices, which influence both our packaging and transportation costs. Prices for commodities, energy, and other supplies are volatile and can fluctuate due to conditions that are difficult to predict, including global competition for resources, currency fluctuations, severe weather or global climate change, crop failures or shortages due to plant disease or insect and other pest infestation, consumer, industrial or investment demand, and changes in governmental regulation and trade, alternative energy, including increased demand for biofuels, and agricultural programs. Additionally, we may be unable to maintain favorable arrangements with respect to the costs of procuring raw materials, packaging, services, and transporting products, which could result in increased expenses and negatively affect our operations. Furthermore, the cost of raw materials and finished products may fluctuate due to movements in cross-currency transaction rates. Rising commodity, energy, and other input costs could materially and adversely affect our cost of operations, including the manufacture, transportation, and distribution of our products, which could materially and adversely affect our financial condition and operating results.

Although we monitor our exposure to commodity prices as an integral part of our overall risk management program, and seek to hedge against input price increases to the extent we deem appropriate, we do not fully hedge against changes in commodity prices, and our hedging strategies may not protect us from increases in specific raw materials costs. For example, hedging our costs for one of our key commodities, dairy products, is difficult because dairy futures markets are not as developed as many other commodities futures markets. Continued volatility or sustained increases in the prices of commodities and other supplies we purchase could increase the costs of our products, and our profitability could suffer. Moreover, increases in the prices of our products to cover these increased costs may result in lower sales volumes. If we are not successful in our hedging activities, or if we are unable to price our products to cover increased costs, then commodity and other input price volatility or increases could materially and adversely affect our financial condition and operating results.

We rely on our management team and other key personnel.

We depend on the skills, working relationships, and continued services of key personnel, including our experienced management team. In addition, our ability to achieve our operating goals depends on our ability to identify, hire, train, and retain qualified individuals. We compete with other companies both within and outside of our industry for talented personnel, and we may lose key personnel or fail to attract, train, and retain other talented personnel. Any such loss or failure could adversely affect our product sales, financial condition, and operating results.

We may be unable to realize the anticipated benefits from streamlining actions to reduce fixed costs, simplify or improve processes, and improve our competitiveness.

We have implemented a number of cost savings initiatives, including our Integration Program (as defined below), that we believe are important to position our business for future success and growth. We have evaluated changes to our organization structure to enable us to reduce costs, simplify or improve processes, and improve our competitiveness. Our future success may depend upon our ability to realize the benefits of our cost savings initiatives. In addition, certain of our initiatives may lead to increased costs in other aspects of our business such as increased conversion, outsourcing, or distribution costs. We must be efficient in executing our plans to achieve cost savings and operate efficiently in the highly competitive food and beverage industry, particularly in an environment of increased competitive activity. To capitalize on our efforts, we must carefully evaluate investments in our business, and execute on those areas with the most potential return on investment. If we are unable to realize the anticipated benefits from our efforts, we could be cost disadvantaged in the marketplace, and our competitiveness, production, and profitability could be adversely affected.

Changes in our relationships with significant customers or suppliers could adversely impact us.

We derive significant portions of our sales from certain significant customers (see Sales and Customers within Item 1, Business, of this report). There can be no assurance that all of our significant customers will continue to purchase our products in the same mix or quantities or on the same terms as in the past, particularly as increasingly powerful retailers may demand lower pricing and focus on developing their own brands. The loss of a significant customer or a material reduction in sales or a change in the mix of products we sell to a significant customer could materially and adversely affect our product sales, financial condition, and operating results.

Disputes with significant suppliers, including disputes related to pricing or performance, could adversely affect our ability to supply products to our customers and could materially and adversely affect our product sales, financial condition, and operating results.

In addition, the financial condition of such customers and suppliers is affected in large part by conditions and events that are beyond our control. A significant deterioration in the financial condition of significant customers and suppliers could materially and adversely affect our product sales, financial condition, and operating results.

We may not be able to successfully execute our international expansion strategy.

We plan to drive additional growth and profitability through international markets. Consumer demands, behaviors, tastes and purchasing trends may differ in international markets and, as a result, our sales may not be successful or meet expectations, or the margins on those sales may be less than currently anticipated. We may also face difficulties integrating foreign business operations with our current sourcing, distribution, information technology systems, and other operations. Any of these challenges could hinder our success in new markets or new distribution channels. There can be no assurance that we will successfully complete any planned international expansion or that any new business will be profitable or meet our expectations.

Changes in tax laws and interpretations could adversely affect our business.

We are subject to income and other taxes in the U.S. and in numerous foreign jurisdictions. Our domestic and foreign tax liabilities are dependent on the jurisdictions in which profits are determined to be earned and taxed. Additionally, the amount of taxes paid is subject to our interpretation of applicable tax laws in the jurisdictions in which we operate. A number of factors influence our effective tax rate, including changes in tax laws and treaties as well as the interpretation of existing laws and rules. Federal, state, and local governments and administrative bodies within the U.S., which represents a majority of our operations, and other foreign jurisdictions have implemented, or are considering, a variety of broad tax, trade, and other regulatory reforms that may impact us. For example, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “U.S. Tax Reform”) enacted on December 22, 2017 resulted in changes in our corporate tax rate, our deferred income taxes, and the taxation of foreign earnings. We are still assessing the impact of the U.S. Tax Reform, and while a number of impacts are anticipated to be positive, certain provisions may have adverse or uncertain effects. Relatedly, changes in tax laws resulting from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) multi-jurisdictional plan of action to address “base erosion and profit sharing” could impact our effective tax rate. It is not currently possible to accurately determine the potential impact of these proposed or future changes, but these changes could have a material impact on our business.

Significant judgment, knowledge, and experience are required in determining our worldwide provision for income taxes. Our future effective tax rate is impacted by a number of factors including changes in the valuation of our deferred tax assets and liabilities, increases in expenses not deductible for tax, including impairment of goodwill in connection with acquisitions, and changes in available tax credits. In the ordinary course of our business, there are many transactions and calculations where the ultimate tax determination is uncertain. We are also regularly subject to audits by tax authorities. Although we believe our tax estimates are reasonable, the final determination of tax audits and any related litigation could be materially different from our historical income tax provisions and accruals. Economic and political pressures to increase tax revenue in various jurisdictions may make resolving tax disputes more difficult. The results of an audit or litigation could adversely affect our financial statements in the period or periods for which that determination is made.

Compliance with changes in laws, regulations, and related interpretations could impact our business.

As a large, global food and beverage company, we operate in a highly-regulated environment with constantly-evolving legal and regulatory frameworks. Various laws and regulations govern production, storage, distribution, sales, advertising, labeling, including on-pack claims, information or disclosures, marketing, licensing, trade, labor, tax, and environmental matters, as well as health and safety practices. Government authorities regularly change laws and regulations and their interpretations. Our compliance with new or revised laws and regulations, or the interpretation and application of existing laws and regulations, could materially and adversely affect our product sales, financial condition, and results of operations. As a consequence of the legal and regulatory environment in which we operate, we are faced with a heightened risk of legal claims and regulatory enforcement actions.

Although we have implemented policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance with existing laws and regulations, there can be no assurance that courts or regulators will agree with our interpretations or that our employees, contractors, or agents will not violate our policies and procedures. Moreover, a failure to maintain effective control processes could lead to violations, unintentional or otherwise, of laws and regulations. Legal claims or regulatory enforcement actions arising out of our failure or alleged failure to comply with applicable laws and regulations could subject us to civil and criminal penalties that could materially and adversely affect our product sales, reputation, financial condition, and operating results. In addition, the costs and other effects of defending potential and pending litigation and administrative actions against us may be difficult to determine and could adversely affect our financial condition and operating results.

Product recalls or other product liability claims could materially and adversely affect us.

Selling products for human consumption involves inherent legal and other risks, including product contamination, spoilage, product tampering, allergens, or other adulteration. We could decide to, or be required to, recall products due to suspected or confirmed product contamination, adulteration, product mislabeling or misbranding, tampering, or other deficiencies. Product recalls or market withdrawals could result in significant losses due to their costs, the destruction of product inventory, and lost sales due to the unavailability of the product for a period of time.

We could be adversely affected if consumers lose confidence in the safety and quality of certain food products or ingredients, or the food safety system generally. Adverse attention about these types of concerns, whether or not valid, may damage our reputation, discourage consumers from buying our products, or cause production and delivery disruptions.

We may also suffer losses if our products or operations violate applicable laws or regulations, or if our products cause injury, illness, or death. In addition, our marketing could face claims of false or deceptive advertising or other criticism. A significant product liability or other legal judgment or a related regulatory enforcement action against us, or a significant product recall, may materially and adversely affect our reputation and profitability. Moreover, even if a product liability or fraud claim is unsuccessful, has no merit, or is not pursued, the negative publicity surrounding assertions against our products or processes could materially and adversely affect our product sales, financial condition, and operating results.

Unanticipated business disruptions could adversely affect our ability to provide our products to our customers.

We have a complex network of suppliers, owned manufacturing locations, co-manufacturing locations, distribution networks, and information systems that support our ability to consistently provide our products to our customers. Factors that are hard to predict or beyond our control, such as weather, raw material shortages, natural disasters, fire or explosion, political unrest, terrorism, generalized labor unrest, or health pandemics, could damage or disrupt our operations or our suppliers’ or co-manufacturers’ operations. These disruptions may require additional resources to restore our supply chain or distribution network. If we cannot respond to disruptions in our operations, whether by finding alternative suppliers or replacing capacity at key manufacturing or distribution locations, or if we are unable to quickly repair damage to our information, production, or supply systems, we may be late in delivering, or be unable to deliver, products to our customers and may also be unable to track orders, inventory, receivables, and payables. If that occurs, our customers’ confidence in us and long-term demand for our products could decline. Any of these events could materially and adversely affect our product sales, financial condition, and operating results.

We may not successfully identify or complete strategic acquisitions, alliances, divestitures or joint ventures.

From time to time, we may evaluate acquisition candidates, alliances, or joint ventures that may strategically fit our business objectives or we may consider divesting businesses that do not meet our strategic objectives or growth or profitability targets. These activities may present financial, managerial, and operational risks including, but not limited to, diversion of management’s attention from existing core businesses, difficulties integrating or separating personnel and financial and other systems, inability to effectively and immediately implement control environment processes across a diverse employee population, adverse effects on existing or acquired customer and supplier business relationships, and potential disputes with buyers, sellers, or partners. Activities in such areas are regulated by numerous antitrust and competition laws in the United States, the European Union, and other jurisdictions, and we may be required to obtain the approval of acquisition and joint venture transactions by competition authorities, as well as to satisfy other legal requirements.

To the extent we undertake acquisitions, alliances, joint ventures, or other developments outside our core regions or in new categories, we may face additional risks related to such developments. For example, risks related to foreign operations include compliance with U.S. laws affecting operations outside of the United States, such as the FCPA, currency rate fluctuations, compliance with foreign regulations and laws, including tax laws, and exposure to politically and economically volatile developing markets. Any of these factors could materially and adversely affect our product sales, financial condition, and operating results.

Our performance may be adversely affected by economic and political conditions in the United States and in various other nations where we do business.

Our performance has been in the past and may continue in the future to be impacted by economic and political conditions in the United States and in other nations where we do business. Economic and financial uncertainties in our international markets, including uncertainties surrounding the United Kingdom's impending withdrawal from the European Union (commonly referred to as “Brexit”) and changes to major international trade arrangements (e.g., the North American Free Trade Agreement), could negatively impact our operations and sales. Other factors impacting our operations in the United States and in international locations where we do business include export and import restrictions, currency exchange rates, currency devaluation, cash repatriation restrictions, recessionary conditions, foreign ownership restrictions, nationalization, the impact of hyperinflationary environments, terrorist acts, and political unrest. Such factors in either domestic or foreign jurisdictions could materially and adversely affect our product sales, financial condition, and operating results. For further information on Venezuela, see Note 13, Venezuela - Foreign Currency and Inflation, to the consolidated financial statements.

Volatility of capital markets or macro-economic factors could adversely affect our business.

Changes in financial and capital markets, including market disruptions, limited liquidity, and interest rate volatility, may increase the cost of financing as well as the risks of refinancing maturing debt. In addition, our borrowing costs can be affected by short and long-term ratings assigned by rating organizations. A decrease in these ratings could limit our access to capital markets and increase our borrowing costs, which could materially and adversely affect our financial condition and operating results.

Some of our customers and counterparties are highly leveraged. Consolidations in some of the industries in which our customers operate have created larger customers, some of which are highly leveraged and facing increased competition and continued credit market volatility. These factors have caused some customers to be less profitable and increased our exposure to credit risk. A significant adverse change in the financial and/or credit position of a customer or counterparty could require us to assume greater credit risk relating to that customer or counterparty and could limit our ability to collect receivables. This could have an adverse impact on our financial condition and liquidity.

Our results could be adversely impacted as a result of increased pension, labor, and people-related expenses.

Inflationary pressures and any shortages in the labor market could increase labor costs, which could have a material adverse effect on our consolidated operating results or financial condition. Our labor costs include the cost of providing employee benefits in the United States, Canada, and other foreign jurisdictions, including pension, health and welfare, and severance benefits. Any declines in market returns could adversely impact the funding of pension plans, the assets of which are invested in a diversified portfolio of equity and fixed-income securities and other investments. Additionally, the annual costs of benefits vary with increased costs of health care and the outcome of collectively-bargained wage and benefit agreements.

Furthermore, we may be subject to increased costs or experience adverse effects to our operating results if we are unable to renew collectively bargained agreements on satisfactory terms. Our financial condition and ability to meet the needs of our customers could be materially and adversely affected if strikes or work stoppages and interruptions occur as a result of delayed negotiations with union-represented employees both in and outside of the United States.

Volatility in the market value of all or a portion of the derivatives we use to manage exposures to fluctuations in commodity prices may cause volatility in our operating results and net income.

We use commodity futures and options to partially hedge the price of certain input costs, including dairy products, coffee beans, meat products, wheat, corn products, soybean oils, sugar and natural gas. Changes in the values of these derivatives are currently recorded in net income, resulting in volatility in both gross profits and net income. We report these gains and losses in cost of products sold in our consolidated statements of income to the extent we utilize the underlying input in our manufacturing process. We report these gains and losses in general corporate expenses in our segment operating results until we sell the underlying products, at which time we reclassify the gains and losses to segment operating results. We may experience volatile earnings as a result of these accounting treatments.

Our net sales and net income may be exposed to exchange rate fluctuations.

We derive a substantial portion of our net sales from international operations. We hold assets and incur liabilities, earn revenue, and pay expenses in a variety of currencies other than the U.S. dollar, primarily the British pound sterling, euro, Australian dollar, Canadian dollar, New Zealand dollar, Brazilian real, Indonesian rupiah, and Chinese renminbi. Since our consolidated financial statements are denominated in U.S. dollars, fluctuations in exchange rates from period to period will have an impact on our reported results. We have implemented currency hedges intended to reduce our exposure to changes in foreign currency exchange rates. However, these hedging strategies may not be successful and any of our unhedged foreign exchange exposures will continue to be subject to market fluctuations. In addition, in certain circumstances, we may incur costs in one currency related to services or products for which we are paid in a different currency. As a result, factors associated with international operations, including changes in foreign currency exchange rates, could significantly affect our results of operations and financial condition.

We are significantly dependent on information technology and we may be unable to protect our information systems against service interruption, misappropriation of data, or breaches of security.

We rely on information technology networks and systems, including the Internet, to process, transmit, and store electronic and financial information, to manage a variety of business processes and activities, and to comply with regulatory, legal, and tax requirements. We also depend on our information technology infrastructure for digital marketing activities and for electronic communications among our locations, personnel, customers, and suppliers. These information technology systems, some of which are managed by third parties, may be susceptible to damage, invasions, disruptions, or shutdowns due to hardware failures, computer viruses, hacker attacks, and other cybersecurity risks, telecommunication failures, user errors, catastrophic events or other factors. If our information technology systems suffer severe damage, disruption, or shutdown, by unintentional or malicious actions of employees and contractors or by cyber-attacks, and our business continuity plans do not effectively resolve the issues in a timely manner, we could experience business disruptions, reputational damage, transaction errors, processing inefficiencies, the leakage of confidential information, and the loss of customers and sales, causing our product sales, financial condition, and operating results to be adversely affected and the reporting of our financial results to be delayed.

In addition, if we are unable to prevent security breaches or disclosure of non-public information, we may suffer financial and reputational damage, litigation or remediation costs, fines, or penalties because of the unauthorized disclosure of confidential information belonging to us or to our partners, customers, consumers, or suppliers.

Misuse, leakage, or falsification of information could result in violations of data privacy laws and regulations, damage to our reputation and credibility, loss of opportunities to acquire or divest of businesses or brands, and loss of ability to commercialize products developed through research and development efforts and, therefore, could have a negative impact on net sales. In addition, we may suffer financial and reputational damage because of lost or misappropriated confidential information belonging to us, our current or former employees, or to our suppliers or consumers, and may become subject to legal action and increased regulatory oversight. We could also be required to spend significant financial and other resources to remedy the damage caused by a security breach or to repair or replace networks and information systems.

Our intellectual property rights are valuable, and any inability to protect them could reduce the value of our products and brands.

We consider our intellectual property rights, particularly and most notably our trademarks, but also our patents, trade secrets, copyrights and licensing agreements, to be a significant and valuable aspect of our business. We attempt to protect our intellectual property rights through a combination of patent, trademark, copyright, and trade secret laws, as well as licensing agreements, third-party nondisclosure and assignment agreements, and policing of third-party misuses of our intellectual property. Our failure to obtain or adequately protect our trademarks, products, new features of our products, or our technology, or any change in law or other changes that serve to lessen or remove the current legal protections of our intellectual property, may diminish our competitiveness and could materially harm our business.

We may be unaware of intellectual property rights of others that may cover some of our technology, brands, or products. Any litigation regarding patents or other intellectual property could be costly and time-consuming and could divert the attention of our management and key personnel from our business operations. Third-party claims of intellectual property infringement might also require us to enter into costly license agreements. We also may be subject to significant damages or injunctions against development and sale of certain products.

Our results of operations could be affected by natural events in the locations in which we or our customers, suppliers or regulators operate.

We may be impacted by severe weather and other geological events, including hurricanes, earthquakes, floods or tsunamis that could disrupt our operations or the operations of our customers, suppliers, and regulators. Natural disasters or other disruptions at any of our facilities or our suppliers’ facilities may impair or delay the delivery of our products. Influenza or other pandemics could disrupt production of our products, reduce demand for certain of our products, or disrupt the marketplace in the foodservice or retail environment with consequent material adverse effects on our results of operations. While we insure against many of these events and certain business interruption risks, we cannot provide any assurance that such insurance will compensate us for any losses incurred as a result of natural or other disasters. To the extent we are unable to, or cannot, financially mitigate the likelihood or potential impact of such events, or effectively manage such events if they occur, particularly when a product is sourced from a single location, there could be a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations, and additional resources could be required to restore our supply chain.

Our level of indebtedness could adversely affect our business.

We have a substantial amount of indebtedness, and are permitted to incur a substantial amount of additional indebtedness, including secured debt. Our existing debt, together with any incurrence of additional indebtedness, could have important consequences, including, but not limited to:

•	increasing our vulnerability to general adverse economic and industry conditions;

•	limiting our ability to obtain additional financing for working capital, capital expenditures, research and development, debt service requirements, acquisitions, and general corporate or other purposes;

•	resulting in a downgrade to our credit rating, which could adversely affect our cost of funds, liquidity, and access to capital markets;

•	restricting us from making strategic acquisitions or causing us to make non-strategic divestitures;

•	limiting our ability to adjust to changing market conditions and place us at a competitive disadvantage compared to our competitors who are not as highly leveraged;

•	making it more difficult for us to make payments on our existing indebtedness;

•	requiring a substantial portion of cash flows from operations to be dedicated to the payment of principal and interest on our indebtedness, thereby reducing our ability to use our cash flow to fund our operations, capital expenditures and future business opportunities;

•	exposing us to risks related to fluctuations in foreign currency as we earn profits in a variety of currencies around the world and substantially all of our debt is denominated in U.S. dollars; and

•	in the case of any additional indebtedness, exacerbating the risks associated with our substantial financial leverage.

In addition, there can be no assurance that we will generate sufficient cash flow from operations or that future debt or equity financings will be available to us to enable us to pay our indebtedness or to fund other needs. As a result, we may need to refinance all or a portion of our indebtedness on or before maturity. There is no assurance that we will be able to refinance any of our indebtedness on favorable terms, or at all. Any inability to generate sufficient cash flow or to refinance our indebtedness on favorable terms could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition.

The creditors who hold our debt could also accelerate amounts due in the event that we default, which could potentially trigger a default or acceleration of the maturity of our other debt. If our operating performance declines, we may in the future need to obtain waivers from the required creditors under our indebtedness instruments to avoid being in default. If we breach the covenants under our indebtedness instruments and seek a waiver, we may not be able to obtain a waiver from the required creditors. If this occurs, we would be in default under our indebtedness instruments, the creditors could exercise their rights, as described above, and we could be forced into bankruptcy or liquidation.

The Sponsors have substantial control over us and may have conflicts of interest with us in the future.

The Sponsors own approximately 51% of our common stock. Six of our 11 directors had been directors of Heinz prior to the closing of the 2015 Merger and remained directors of Kraft Heinz pursuant to the merger agreement. In addition, some of our executive officers, including Bernardo Hees, our Chief Executive Officer, are partners of 3G Capital, one of the Sponsors. As a result, the Sponsors have the potential to exercise influence over management and have substantial control over decisions of our Board of Directors as well as over any action requiring the approval of the holders of our common stock, including adopting any amendments to our charter, electing directors, and approving mergers or sales of substantially all of our capital stock or our assets. In addition, to the extent that the Sponsors collectively hold a majority of our common stock, they together would have the power to take shareholder action by written consent to adopt amendments to our charter or take other actions, such as corporate transactions, that require the vote of holders of a majority of our outstanding common stock. The directors designated by the Sponsors may have significant authority to effect decisions affecting our capital structure, including the issuance of additional capital stock, incurrence of additional indebtedness, the implementation of stock repurchase programs and the decision of whether or not to declare dividends. Additionally, the Sponsors are in the business of making investments in companies and may from time to time acquire and hold interests in businesses that compete directly or indirectly with us. The Sponsors may also pursue acquisition opportunities that may be complementary to our business, and, as a result, those acquisition opportunities may not be available to us. So long as the Sponsors continue to own a significant amount of our equity, they will continue to be able to strongly influence or effectively control our decisions.

Future sales of our common stock in the public market could cause volatility in the price of our common stock or cause the share price to fall.

Sales of a substantial number of shares of our common stock in the public market, or the perception that these sales might occur, could depress the market price of our common stock, and could impair our ability to raise capital through the sale of additional equity securities.

Kraft Heinz, 3G Capital, and Berkshire Hathaway entered into a registration rights agreement requiring us to register for resale under the Securities Act all registrable shares held by 3G Capital and Berkshire Hathaway, which represents all shares of our common stock held by the Sponsors as of the date of the closing of the 2015 Merger. As of the closing of the 2015 Merger, registrable shares represented approximately 51% of our outstanding common stock on a fully diluted basis. Although the registrable shares are subject to certain holdback and suspension periods, the registrable shares are not subject to a “lock-up” or similar restriction under the registration rights agreement. Accordingly, sales of a large number of registrable shares may be made upon registration of such shares with the SEC in accordance with the terms of the registration rights agreement. Registration and sales of our common stock effected pursuant to the registration rights agreement will increase the number of shares being sold in the public market and may increase the volatility of the price of our common stock.

Our ability to pay regular dividends to our shareholders is subject to the discretion of the Board of Directors and may be limited by our debt agreements or limitations under Delaware law.

Although it is currently anticipated that we will continue to pay regular quarterly dividends, any such determination to pay dividends will be at the discretion of the Board of Directors and will be dependent on then-existing conditions, including our financial condition, income, legal requirements, including limitations under Delaware law, and other factors the Board of Directors deems relevant. The Board of Directors may, in its sole discretion, change the amount or frequency of dividends or discontinue the payment of dividends entirely. For these reasons, shareholders will not be able to rely on dividends to receive a return on investment. Accordingly, realization of any gain on shares of our common stock may depend on the appreciation of the price of our common stock, which may never occur.

While we have remediated the previously-identified material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting, we may identify other material weaknesses in the future.

In November 2017, we restated our consolidated financial statements for the quarters ended April 1, 2017 and July 1, 2017 in order to correctly classify cash receipts from the payments on sold receivables (which are cash receipts on the underlying trade receivables that have already been securitized) to cash provided by investing activities (from cash provided by operating activities) within our condensed consolidated statements of cash flows. In connection with these restatements, management identified a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting related to the misapplication of Accounting Standards Update 2016-15. Specifically, we did not maintain effective controls over the adoption of new accounting standards, including communication with the appropriate individuals in coming to our conclusions on the application of new accounting standards. As a result of this material weakness, our management concluded that we did not maintain effective internal control over financial reporting as of April 1, 2017 and July 1, 2017. While we have remediated the material weakness and our management has determined that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of December 30, 2017, there can be no assurance that our controls will remain adequate. The effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting is subject to various inherent limitations, including judgments used in decision-making, the nature and complexity of the transactions we undertake, assumptions about the likelihood of future events, the soundness of our systems, cost limitations, and other limitations. If other material weaknesses or significant deficiencies in our internal control are discovered or occur in the future or we otherwise must restate our financial statements, it could materially and adversely affect our business and results of operations or financial condition, restrict our ability to access the capital markets, require us to expend significant resources to correct the weaknesses or deficiencies, subject us to fines, penalties, investigations or judgments, harm our reputation, or otherwise cause a decline in investor confidence.