Personnel Updates
• 7-Eleven Inc. (51) announced Jesus Delgado-Jenkins, Exec VP and Chief Merchandising Officer, is retiring.
• Albertsons LLC (108) has hired Gautam Kotwal to serve as its Exec VP and Chief Data and Analytics Officer.
• Big Y Foods Inc. (65) has appointed Christian P. D’Amour Senior Manager of the Table & Vine division.
• H-E-B (81) said that it has named Jag Bath to the newly created post of Chief Digital Officer.
• Kennie’s Markets Inc. (8) has named Tom Dempsey as its new President and CEO, succeeding Paul K. Hoover Jr., who is retiring.
• Kum & Go LLC (55) announced Tanner Krause has been named President of the company. Kyle Krause, current CEO and President, will transition to Chairman and CEO.
• Lidl US, LLC (35) announced that Johannes Fieber was named company President and CEO. He will replace Brendan Proctor.
• Martin & Bayley Inc. (18) announced Murat Tokad has been promoted from Exec VP to President, following the departure of CEO Todd Jenney.
• Publix Super Markets Inc. (239) has named Dain Rusk as its new VP of Pharmacy. He was most recently Group VP of Pharmacy for Albertsons LLC.
• Sobeys Inc. (51) announced Lyne Castonguay has been appointed Exec VP of Store Experience. Pierre St. Laurent has been named Exec VP of Merchandising and Quebec. Sarah Joyce has been hired as Senior VP of E-commerce. Luc L’Archeveque has been appointed General Manager for Quebec and retains his duties as VP of Grocery for the Quebec business. Mike Venton will take over as General Manager of Discount. The company also announced that Jason Potter, Exec VP of Operations, and Deirdre Horgan, Senior VP of Marketing are leaving the company.
• Tops Markets LLC (38) has promoted Matthew Hamed to the position of Director of Pharmacy.
• United Natural Foods Inc. (19) named Chris Testa President. The company also announced Sean Griffin will retire from his role as COO, effective Aug. 1. Eric Dorne will assume the role of President of Strategic Business Units. Paul Green was named Chief Supply Chain Officer.
Mergers and Acquisitions
• Global Partners LLC has signed an agreement to purchase 10 company-operated gas stations and convenience stores from Cheshire Oil Co. Inc.
• Global Partners LLC agreed to purchase 37 gas stations with Jiffy Mart-branded convenience stores in Vermont and New Hampshire from Champlain Oil Company. The acquisition includes fuel-supply agreements for about 70 other gas stations.
• GPM Investments LLC has taken ownership of eleven 1 Stop convenience stores with fuel sales in Michigan from DMJ Corporation.
• Keith’s Superstores has completed the acquisition of 12 gas stations and convenience stores in the southern Mississippi region from Burns & Burns Oil Co.
• The Kroger Co. announced it is acquiring Home Chef, a Chicago-based meal kit company.
• Metro Inc. has completed the acquisition of The Jean Coutu Group Inc., and its 419 franchised drug stores. Under the acquisition, The Jean Coutu Group becomes a wholly owned subsidiary of Metro, combining all of its pharmacy operations.
• Yesway acquired 11 Pick A Dilly convenience stores in northeast Missouri from Niemann Foods Inc.
• Yesway has acquired 13 Chisum Travel Center and Fast Stop convenience stores in Texas.
Industry Insight
• Southeastern Grocers announced that it has successfully completed its financial restructuring and has emerged from bankruptcy protection. The supermarket operator has nearly 100 remodels planned for 2018, with 28 already completed. It will also introduce a new rewards loyalty program in July 2018.
Real Estate
• Aldi Inc. announced that it will open a new 21,000 sq. ft. location next spring in Minneapolis, MN.
• H-E-B announced plans to open a new distribution and manufacturing center in San Antonio, TX. The one million sq. ft. facility is set to open in 2020.
• MOM’s Organic Market opened its 19th location on June 1. The new 16,000 sq. ft. store is in Gaithersburg, MD.
• Rutter’s Holdings Inc. has opened its 70th convenience store, and it’s first outside of Pennsylvania, in Inwood, WV.
• Stew Leonard’s announced it will expand in New Jersey with a new location at the Paramus Park Mall.
• Wawa Inc. announced it opened its 800th convenience store on May 24.
Just because we don’t mention it here doesn’t mean it didn’t happen – or we didn’t capture it. In the past four weeks, we’ve updated more than 295 companies in the Supermarket, Grocery, & Convenience Stores PLUS Database, with many of those companies’ records updated at multiple points.
