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GOURMET NEWS DECEMBER 2016 www.gourmetnews.com Retailer News RETAILER NEWS 1 0 BRIEFS Whole Foods Market Appoints John Mackey Sole CEO Whole Foods Market is transitioning from co-Chief Executive Officers to a sole Chief Executive Officer, with co-Founder John Mackey to serve in that capacity. Walter Robb will remain on the company's board of directors and continue to serve as Chair- man for both Whole Kids Foundation and Whole Cities Foundation. He will officially transition his co-CEO responsibilities on December 31, 2016, and will continue to be a senior advisor to the company. Robb has served the company for 25 years, most recently as co-Chief Executive Officer for the previous six years. "Under Walter's leadership, Whole Foods Market has grown from 12 to 464 stores in three countries. He has been in- strumental in accelerating investment in our digital strategy and technology trans- formation to meet the ever-changing retail landscape," said Dr. John Elstrott, Chair- man of Whole Foods Market's board of di- rectors. "In the past year Walter and John have hired five new senior executives, and have adopted and made significant progress on their nine point strategic plan, putting the company in a strong foundational po- sition for winning." "It is impossible to convey what Walter has done for Whole Foods Market since he joined us in 1991," said co-Founder and co-Chief Executive Officer John Mackey. "His incredible passion for retail and sense of the customer makes him the most ex- traordinary retailer I've had the privilege to work with. During his 25 years of leader- ship, Walter has been an advocate for the Whole Foods Market culture and a cham- pion for our team members. His genuine love for our mission and our team mem- bers truly reflects what it means to be a conscious leader." Executive Vice President and Chief Fi- nancial Officer Glenda Flanagan, the longest ever serving female Chief Financial Officer in the Fortune 500, will retire from the role after 29 years at the end of the 2017 fiscal year. She will continue to serve the company in a senior advisor capacity. "Glenda joined Whole Foods Market in 1988 and has helped guide us through significant growth from six stores to 464 stores and more than $15 billion in sales today," said co-Chief Executive Officers John Mackey and Walter Robb. "She has been an outstanding CFO. Her intelli- gence, wisdom, business acumen, kind- ness and integrity have been at the heart of everything Whole Foods Market has done and accomplished over the past 28 years. Glenda is deeply loved and re- spected by us and everyone at Whole Foods Market who has had the opportu- nity to know her." Adding to the changes, Mary Ellen Coe, Vice President of Sales and Product Opera- tions for Google, has joined the Whole Foods Market board of directors. "Mary Ellen's deep experience in marketing, digi- tal strategy, and brand strategy is incredibly valuable, and we're excited to have such a talented leader join our board of directors," said Elstrott. "We're confident that her ex- pertise and understanding of the evolving marketplace will benefit the company as we remain focused on strategic investments in marketing and elevating digital experi- ence." GN Albertsons Promotes Christine Wilcox to Drive New Communications Strategy Albertsons Companies has appointed cur- rent Vice President of Corporate Commu- nications Christine Wilcox to the position of Vice President, Communications and Public Affairs. Wilcox is filling a vacancy created when Brian Dowling retired from the company earlier this year. Wilcox is an 18-year veteran of Albertsons, and for the last ten years has served in both internal communications and public relations roles for the company. As part of Wilcox's new role with Albertsons Companies, she will lead a newly integrated internal and external com- munications team and will drive the com- pany's communications strategy around its growth, trajectory, innovative practices and community involvement – all of which help enable it to run really great stores. As part of the new approach, Albertsons Companies has also partnered with The Glover Park Group, a leading strategic communications firm. "Chris has been an instrumental leader in our company since we began in 2006, and her passion for our history, employees and loyal customers is self-evident. Chris is yet another example of what we aim to do at Albertsons Companies — empower really talented peo- ple and encourage them to grow their careers here," said Andy Scoggin, Executive Vice President, Human Resources, Labor Relations, Public Affairs and Government Relations. An Idaho native, Wilcox graduated from Idaho State University with a bachelor's de- gree in English literature. She joined Albert- sons in 1998 as an editor, and held positions of increasing responsibility, including exec- utive liaison to the Board of Directors, Training Director for Albertson's, Inc., and Training and Communications Director for two former subsidiaries of Albertson's, Inc. which were operated separately from the company. Wilcox accepted a role as South- west Division Communications and Public Affairs Director with Albertson's LLC in 2006. She was named Vice President of Communications and Public Affairs for Al- bertson's LLC in 2013 following the acqui- sition of stores from SUPERVALU. GN Kroger Tied for First Place in Annual Kantar Retailer PoweRanking The Kroger Co. tied for first place in the overall composite score in the Kantar Retailer PoweRanking™. The Kantar Retailer PoweRanking is designed to identify the retailers currently setting the highest standards of performance as viewed by their trading partners, and to gain insight into what makes these retailers "best in class." In addition to being tied for the overall #1 position, Kroger ranked first in the following categories: best retailer to do business with, best practice category leadership, best buying teams and most innovative merchandising. The company also tied for first in the clearest strategy category. Minier's Supermarket Offers Full-Service Online Shopping Minier's Supermarket, a family-owned and operated business in Big Flats, New York, has provided customers with superior service for more than 140 years. Today marks a new chapter in that tradition with the launch of Minier's Express, an eCommerce service powered by Rosie that makes it easy and convenient for customers to shop for groceries online. "In the eight years I've been with Minier's, this is by far the most innovative and exciting service we've offered," said Paul Minier, President. "As the first store in our market to offer an eCommerce option, not only can we better serve our current customers but this opens the door to the entire community. Partnering with Rosie gives our customers access to a completely new and exciting way of shopping for groceries that's convenient and enjoyable." To use Minier's Express, shoppers simply log on via the web or mobile app and select from the same shelf products, fresh meat, produce, dairy and frozen items that are available in-store. Once the order is placed, a trained shopper selects the best products available in the store. Customers can schedule a time at their convenience for delivery or curbside pick-up. Newman's Own Foundation Awards $1.5 Million in Grants to Veterans Organizations Newman's Own Foundation is awarding $1.5 million in grants to more than 20 organizations that support veteran entrepreneurship, providing veterans with the necessary training, support, and access to capital; and organizations connecting veterans to quality higher education and creating supportive networks on campus. Paul Newman, the late actor and philanthropist, established Newman's Own Foundation in 2005 to carry on his philanthropic legacy after he started Newman's Own, the food company, in 1982 with all profits going to charity. Newman was a World War II veteran. The organizations receiving the grants provide assistance to veterans, helping them use the skills developed in service to their country to succeed in school, start their own businesses, or pursue other life goals. The organizations are located across the country. Kettlebell Kitchen Launches Home Delivery Kettlebell Kitchen, the New York City meal service with a focus on healthy eating, is launching home delivery this month. Founded in 2013 by former Army officers Joe and Andy Lopez-Gallego, and Chef Greg Grossman, Kettlebell Kitchen meals are cur- rently available for pickup at 300+ gyms and fitness studios across the Tri-State area. The expansion will introduce Kettlebell Kitchen's personalized, nutrition-driven meals to a wider set of consumers. Co-founder Chef Greg Grossman [OREYA Restaurant, recipi- ent of an "Excellent" rating by The New York Times] will continue to innovate menu offerings and expand Kettlebell Kitchen's verticals for healthy eating, weight loss, muscle gain, and sports performance. "We know how stressed and busy New Yorkers can be. By providing one-on-one nutritional support and cutting out shop- ping, cooking, and cleaning time, we are bringing them a new level of convenience," notes Co-Founder Andy Lopez-Gallego. Kettlebell Kitchen provides consumers an opportunity to eat a variety of flavorful meals that help them reach their dietary goals. Every member of the program works with an advising nutritionist, who helps curate an experience that offers immediate results. Co-Founder and Chef Greg Gross- man ensures the selection of offerings (in- cluding breakfast, lunch, and dinner) are high quality, featuring seasonal ingredients and chef-level preparations—engineered to fuel the body and provide energy and nu- tritional value. GN

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