Sealed Air has named Russell Grissett as president of its global food business, marking another major leadership change in a year of transition for the packaging group.
Grissett joins from Toppan Packaging Americas, where he served as president and CEO after Toppan acquired Sonoco’s thermoforming and flexibles operations earlier this year.
His move brings almost three decades of Sonoco experience into Sealed Air’s food division, a segment closely watched by retailers and suppliers across fresh food, meat, produce and ready-meal formats.
The appointment follows the company’s earlier announcements of a new CEO and CFO in 2025, as well as the immediate departure of Sealed Air’s previous food president in November.
The shift comes at a time when Sealed Air is preparing to be taken private next year under a proposed $6.2 billion acquisition by private equity firm CD&R.
Grissett also continues to chair the board of the Flexible Packaging Association — an added link to broader industry developments around materials, regulations and innovation.
Sealed Air said on its recent earnings call that it sees further opportunities to diversify the food portfolio into retail and foodservice, an area where suppliers are adjusting formats, materials and forecasting.
This sits alongside wider changes shaping the supplier landscape, something we covered in our analysis of supermarket suppliers in 2025, where consolidation and capability shifts are influencing buyer negotiations.
Sealed Air’s Cryovac and flexibles solutions remain central to supermarket protein, produce and deli categories.
The leadership change comes as packaging innovation accelerates across Europe and North America, including new material development and sustainability targets covered in our report on packaging innovation in German retail.
More details on the ownership transition are expected once the acquisition window closes on December 16.
Why It Matters
Sealed Air is a core supplier to major supermarket chains and food producers.
Leadership changes in its food division can influence packaging availability, pricing, lead times and future product formats.
Grissett brings a long operational background in thermoforming and flexibles — an area where demand is rising as retailers continue to balance shelf life, cost and sustainability.
The timing also aligns with Sealed Air’s potential move to private ownership, which could lead to strategy resets across regions.
Editor’s note: This article is based solely on verified information from Sealed Air’s announcement and publicly available corporate updates. No quotes or paraphrasing have been added.
