After nearly 25 years, the iconic Ford Bronco is getting revamped and making a comeback with two new additions to the series' family, Dave Pericak, global director of icons at Ford, told Cheddar.
"If you look at SUVs, they're more popular now than they've ever been. In 2019, SUVs had their most sales ever. So, now is the time," he said.
The iconic off-roader's sport model is set to hit the sales floor in the U.S. later this year, according to Pericak, with the two-door and first-ever four-door versions to hit the market next year. Even as the fully gas-powered SUVs draw anticipation, they're not currently part of Ford's push to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Pericak said the company will be spending more than $11.5 billion in electrification over the next several years, but noted the initial focus will be on the F-150, Mustang, and Transit.
The coronavirus pandemic has hit U.S. automakers, including Ford, where deliveries reportedly dropped by a third year-over-year in Q2. Still, Pericak is optimistic that an uptick is coming as economies reopen.
"I hope that we're going to be coming out of this coronavirus pretty soon. I think we're going to be hitting it at the right time when people have a lot of the pent up demand," he said.
Ford is set to debut the new line of vehicles on July 13.
Nestlé has dismissed its CEO Laurent Freixe after an investigation into an undisclosed relationship with a direct subordinate. The company announced on Monday that the dismissal was effective immediately. An investigation found that Freixe violated Nestlé’s code of conduct. He had been CEO for a year. Philipp Navratil, a longtime Nestlé executive, will replace him. Chairman Paul Bulcke stated that the decision was necessary to uphold the company’s values and governance. Navratil began his career with Nestlé in 2001 and has held various roles, including CEO of Nestlé's Nespresso division since 2024.
Kraft Heinz is splitting into two companies a decade after they joined in a massive merger that created one of the biggest food companies on the planet. One of the companies will include brands such as Heinz, Philadelphia cream cheese and Kraft Mac & Cheese. The other will include brands like Oscar Mayer, Kraft Singles and Lunchables. When the company formed in 2015 it wanted to capitalize on its massive scale, but shifting tastes complicated those plans, with households seeking to introduce healthier options at the table. Kraft Heinz's net revenue has fallen every year since 2020.
