Food retail group Ahold Delhaize USA has appointed its chief commercial officer Roger Wheeler as the new president for the Stop & Shop supermarket chain, effective September 30.
Wheeler, who has been with the company since 2005, will succeed Gordon Reid, who assumed the role in 2019. Reid will provide support for the leadership transition until his retirement next year.
As chief commercial officer and supply chain, Wheeler has led the transformation of commercial capabilities and efficiencies that resulted in reduced costs and increased sales, the company said. Prior to this role, he served as president of retail business services and SVP of supply chain.
JJ Fleeman, CEO of Ahold Delhaize USA, said Wheeler is the right person to propel the Stop & Shop banner, with his 30 years of experience in the supermarket industry and a track record of building a strong organizational culture.
Stop & Shop operates approximately 360 stores in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island.
According to Grocery Dive, the chain’s performance has been lackluster compared to Ahold Delhaize’s other banners for years.
The leadership change comes as the chain aims for a turnaround, with 32 underperforming stores set to shut down by the end of this year. The company expects the closures to result in a net impact to sales of $100-125 million.
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