Kroger CMO Aitken Stepping Down; Adcock to Succeed Him
The Kroger Co. announced that Stuart Aitken is stepping down as senior vice president, chief merchandising and marketing officer, to pursue other professional opportunities. Aitken will remain in his role at Kroger through Dec. 31.
Mary Ellen Adcock named Kroger’s chief merchandising and operating officer
Mary Ellen Adcock, Kroger’s senior vice president of operations, will succeed him as chief merchandising and marketing officer.
“Mary Ellen is a respected leader both within Kroger and our industry,” said Rodney McMullen, Kroger’s chairman and CEO. “Her deep strategic experience in her past 25 years with Kroger in roles of increasing responsibility will continue to drive value for customers and growth for our business and associates.”
Continuing in their current roles as leaders of the company’s operations are senior vice presidents of retail operations Valarie Jabbar and Kenny Kimball, who oversee Kroger operating divisions, and group vice president of retail operations Paula Kash, who leads enterprise retail operations, which includes asset protection, corporate food technology and e-commerce operations. They will now report to McMullen.
“On behalf of the Kroger Board and management team, I want to thank Stuart for his work to evolve Kroger’s brand while bringing exciting, innovating products to our shelves,” said McMullen. “He played an instrumental role in overseeing dunnhumby’s integration and establishing 84.51º. We wish Stuart and his family all the best as they embark on a new chapter.”
Adcock served as Kroger’s senior vice president of operations since 2019. In this role, she leads strategic operations for the company’s more than 2,700 stores across 35 states supporting more than 416,000 associates and serving 11 million customers every day. Adcock oversees customer experience, associate experience, asset protection, process change and productivity improvement initiatives and is responsible for maintaining the highest food safety and regulatory standards.
As senior vice president of operations, Adcock has delivered more than $1 billion in annual operations savings for six consecutive years. This strategic focus on efficiency improvements provided Kroger the ability to reinvest those savings to consistently lower prices for customers and increase wages for associates. Adcock achieved this efficiency goal while also improving the customer and associate experience by developing Kroger’s Full, Fresh & Friendly: Every Customer Every Time program.
Adcock also played a lead role in operationalizing Zero Hunger | Zero Waste, Kroger’s commitment to end hunger in the communities it serves and eliminate waste as a company. She led the organization in achieving 100% store participation in the company’s surplus food rescue program for the first time.
Adcock joined Kroger in 1999 in the company’s manufacturing division, where she held a variety of leadership positions. In 2009, she was promoted to vice president of deli/bakery manufacturing, and in 2012, Adcock became vice president of natural foods. In 2014, she led merchandising and operations for the Columbus division. Adcock was promoted to group vice president of retail operations in 2016 and named as senior vice president of retail operations in 2019. In 2022, Adcock was a Top Women in Grocery Trailblazer.
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FMI: Shoppers Feel Confident About Holiday Grocery Budgets
Despite ongoing concerns about food prices, shoppers feel more confident in managing their grocery budgets ahead of the holidays, according to FMI —The Food Industry Association’s annual U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends: Holiday Season report. These findings are further supported by FMI’s newly released ninth-annual Power of Foodservice at Retail report, which found that retail foodservice purchases continue to play a key role in shoppers’ meal preparation.
Consumers report a strong sense of excitement and enthusiasm for the holiday season despite concerns about rising prices and grocery budgets. Seventy-three percent of those celebrating holidays report feeling very or somewhat excited about the holiday season. Furthermore, with 85% of shoppers reporting at least some control over their grocery budgets, shoppers are feeling more prepared to tackle holiday shopping this year.
“While consumers remain understandably concerned about the cost of food impacting their holiday meal preparations, we continue to see remarkable resilience and adaptability among shoppers,” said FMI President and CEO Leslie G. Sarasin. “Whether it be shopping deals and sales or choosing store brands, Americans are stocking up and preparing for the holidays early and eagerly.”
The “hybrid” approach to meal preparation – which integrates retail foodservice items like deli-prepared foods into weekly grocery shopping – is also increasingly popular, with shoppers reporting they prepared and ate more dinners at home in 2024 than at any time since 2020. Shoppers recognize that semi- or fully-prepared items from their food retailer are valuable, budget-friendly options to supplement or even stand in for a meal cooked from scratch at home.
In 2024, according to NIQ, sales of retail foodservice prepared foods increased by 1.4% to roughly $50.9 billion. This trend is expected to continue into the holiday season as well, with 13% of shoppers reporting they will purchase more prepared foods from food retailers compared to last year.
Among those who celebrate this holiday season, nearly 60% of shoppers said that enjoying harmonious, quality time with family and friends is the most important ingredient for a successful holiday, followed by 32% who cited creating a great homemade feast. To make these goals a reality, 40% of consumers are preparing for the December holidays more than a month in advance.
FMI’s U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends: Holiday Season survey also revealed:
- Weekly grocery spending has remained consistent this year, with an average of $158 per week.
- 39% of holiday shoppers are extremely or very concerned about potential out-of-stocks for key ingredients. Among families with children, this concern rises to 44%.
- 46% of shoppers say they would prepare a familiar alternative dish if their preferred ingredients were unavailable, and 30% are willing to try a new recipe.
FMI’s The Power of Foodservice at Retail 2024 survey also revealed:
- Total deli sales reached approximately $450.9 billion, reflecting a growth rate of 1.4% in dollars and 1.2% in units over the past 52 weeks. Shoppers’ desire for convenience and affordability is driving this trend.
- 70.7% of households buy foodservice at retail products regularly, with an average purchase frequency of 9.5 times per year and an average transaction size of $8.30.
- The frequency of shoppers preparing dinner at home at least seven times per week increased slightly this year from 21% to 23%.
- 63% of shoppers say they put at least some focus into eating nutritious options when buying deli-prepared foods from grocery stores.
- 59% of shoppers want the opportunity to buy a combination of prepared foods – main course, sides dishes and dessert for a set, discounted price.
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SEG to Donate Thanksgiving Dinners to 7,000 in Southeast
Southeastern Grocers Inc., parent company and home of Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie grocery stores, together with the SEG Gives Foundation, is kicking off the season of giving by donating Thanksgiving meals to 7,000 individuals and families experiencing hunger across the Southeast. The grocer invites customers to join in the spirit of giving by donating $1, $5 or rounding up their grocery bills at the register or by participating in the grocer’s “buy one, give one” initiative – where customers are encouraged to donate a shelf-stable item at checkout – to help ensure neighbors experiencing hunger can enjoy a warm holiday meal this season.
More than 47 million people in the U.S. face hunger, including 1 in 5 children, according to Feeding America. To help minimize food insecurity around the holidays, the grocer is collaborating with more than 20 local food banks and community partners across its five-state footprint to provide 7,000 turkeys and holiday sides to neighbors who may be facing hunger. The grocer’s partners include:
- Belforest and Loxley Elementary Schools
- Brighter Bites
- Community Food Bank of Central Alabama
- Community Rehabilitation Center Inc.
- Ed Reed Foundation
- Feeding Northeast Florida
- Feeding South Florida
- Feeding Tampa Bay
- Feeding the Gulf Coast
- First Coast YMCA
- Get Cooking – Orlando
- Grace Community Food Pantry – Team Feed Flagler
- MaliVai Washington Youth Foundation
- Mobile Police Department
- Mount Vernon Missionary Baptist Church
- Revitalize Arlington Inc.
- Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida
- Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana
- True Destiny Ministry Church
- Tyndall Air Force Base
- USO Northwest Florida
Raymond Rhee, Chief People Officer for Southeastern Grocers, said, “As the holiday season approaches, we’re reminded of our shared responsibility to ensure no family faces the uncertainty of an empty table. We are deeply thankful for our generous partners and customers, who are joining us to provide warm, nourishing Thanksgiving meals for our neighbors in need. Together, we’re providing hope, compassion and a moment of comfort during this meaningful time of the year.”
Now through Dec. 17, the grocer invites customers to embrace the season of giving by donating $1, $5 or simply rounding up their grocery bill at the register while shopping at local Harveys Supermarket or Winn-Dixie stores. Customers can also join in the “buy one, give one” initiative by taking advantage of the grocer’s many BOGO items and donating one of the items at checkout for a neighbor who may be experiencing hunger this holiday season. Every contribution will support Feeding America’s mission to end hunger.
Lauren Biedron, Senior Vice President of Corporate Partnerships at Feeding America, said,“The holidays are a time to nourish traditions, celebrate, and share meals with our loved ones, yet 47.4 million people in America face hunger, even during the holidays. Feeding America appreciates Southeastern Grocers’ ongoing commitment to supporting families. Their partnership helps ensure that everyone has access to nourishing meals and the connections that bring us together during the holiday season.”
This holiday season, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie is committed to helping customers save more. With exclusive in-store promotions, a savings-packed Rewards program with personalized percentage back offers, and its seasonal discount program, Price Hold, the neighborhood grocer is here to make holiday shopping budget-friendly and hassle-free for all. For additional convenience, customers can order their feast, plus more, with grocery delivery and curbside pickup at select locations. Visit shop.harveyssupermarkets.com/thanksgiving or shop.winndixie.com/thanksgiving to order online and gather the same savings benefits of shopping in-store deals and promotions.
Now through Dec. 24, the grocer is offering a holiday meal deal for $39.99 that feeds three to five people to help customers easily plan their holiday feast at a winning price. The meal includes a chef-carved ham or ready-to-carve turkey breast, a 12-pack of rolls and your choice of four sides, with options for homestyle or cornbread stuffing, green bean casserole, mashed sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes or gravy. Customers can simply look for the holiday meal display in the deli department of their neighborhood store for stress-free entertaining.
All Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie grocery and liquor stores will be closed Thanksgiving Day to give associates a well-deserved day of rest with family and friends as a thank you for their diligent work and compassion displayed for their communities this year. All stores will close as normal Wednesday, Nov. 27 and reopen for regular business hours Friday, Nov. 29.
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