Supermarket, Grocery, C-Store
• Ahold-Delhaize reported that Rom Kosla, Exec VP, IT, and CIO, will leave the company in July.
• Aldi Inc. recently opened three new stores in Tempe, AZ; Miami, FL; and St. Marys, PA.
• Bashas’ Inc. announced it has promoted its COO, Steve Mayer, to President of the company.
• Buc-ee’s Ltd. plans to open its first convenience store in the state of Virginia in 2027.
• H Mart reportedly has plans to open its first store in Utah, by the end of the year.
• KeHE Distributors LLC has completed its previously announced acquisition of DPI Specialty Foods Inc.
• Lidl US, LLC reported it will open a new store location in Washington, DC, later this month.
• Lowes Foods Inc. said it will open a new store in Pittsboro, NC, on June 29. The new location is part of the company’s plan to open 5 locations this year.
• Whole Foods Market Inc. is set to open a new 47,000 sq. ft. store on June 28, in Washington, DC.
Retail
• Clark-Devon Hardware Co. Inc. reported it is now employee owned. Xan Flink has been appointed as its new CEO.
• Dollar General Corp. has plans to open its first store in Montana in fall 2023, completing its presence in the continental U.S.
• Five Below Inc. announced that Kristy Chipman will join the company as CFO and Treasurer on July 17. She succeeds Ken Bull, who has assumed the new role of COO.
• Lowe’s Companies Inc. announced that it has promoted Quonta Vance to Exec VP, Pro and Home Services.
• VF Corporation reported that Bracken Darrell has been named President and CEO of the company. Richard Carucci, who has been serving as Interim Chairman, will take the position on a permanent basis.
Restaurant
• Blaze Pizza has named Kevin Moran as Chief Development Officer and Johnny Tellez as Chief Operations Officer.
• Craveworthy Brands has named Jeremy Theisen as Chief Growth and Development Officer.
• Darden Chairman Gene Lee will be stepping down in September.
• MrBeast has decided to step back from his virtual brand MrBeast Burger after the brand has grown to over 2,000 locations. Jimmy Donaldson, MrBeast, is a popular YouTuber who partnered with Virtual Dining Concepts during the pandemic to launch the most popular virtual brand in the U.S. Donaldson expressed concern over quality control with so many locations but lamented that the decision to MrBeast Burger is not his to make.
• SPB Hospitality has named Josh Kern as CEO, he previously held the interim title.
• Starbucks is developing a sustainability and learning lab in Costa Rica. The lab will be used for university research and to develop farming strategies.
• The U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved the sale of lab-grown chicken in the U.S. by three suppliers. The chicken will first be tested in high-end restaurants.
• Walk-On’s has named Chris Dawson CEO.
• Zaxby’s has opened their first franchised-owned, to-go-only location in Hoover, AL.
