Mondelēz China’s frozen cake business is set for a leadership handover. Zhu Lei, current head of the brand’s frozen cake division in Greater China, will step down on July 24, 2026, to pursue external opportunities. He will be succeeded by Gu Manhu, Mondelēz’s current R&D chief, who takes over the role on July 1 and will report directly to Joost Vlaanderen, President of Mondelēz Greater China. During the transition, Gu will hold both positions concurrently while the company searches for his R&D successor internally and externally.

The move reflects a strategic pivot as the business shifts from channel-building to product-led growth. Under Zhu’s tenure, the frozen cake portfolio secured key breakthroughs in fresh food retail channels, launching products such as the Oreo Double-Layer Cheesecake across Sam’s Club and Hema, while fostering strong cross-functional team alignment. Gu brings deep technical expertise, having led the Mondelēz Suzhou Global R&D Center—upgraded to global status in 2018—and built high-performing innovation teams. Mondelēz views his blend of R&D rigor and commercial acumen as ideal for driving the next growth phase, particularly in catering to fast-evolving Chinese consumer tastes.

Frozen cake is a core pillar of Mondelēz’s China expansion strategy. In 2021, the company made its first-ever equity investment in a local Chinese food firm, partnering with leading bakery OEM Enjoy Century—the supplier behind Sam’s viral Swiss rolls—and raising its stake to 72.35% in 2024 for full control. The category, adjacent to biscuits with higher margins and faster growth, is targeted to hit $1 billion in China revenue by 2030. Enjoy Century contributed $288 million in net revenue to Mondelēz in the first three quarters of 2025 alone ($87 million in Q3). Backed by its R&D capabilities and OEM capacity, Mondelēz now spans both frozen and ambient cake segments under brands including Oreo and LU.

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