Dive Brief:
- Danny Wegman announced that his daughter, Colleen Wegman, has been named president and CEO of Wegmans Food Markets. He will assume the role as the company's chairman,the company said in a statement.
- Colleen Wegman joined Wegmans in 1991 and was named president in 2005 by the late Robert Wegman, her grandfather.
- “The time has come to create a structure for the future that will allow us to remain strong, vibrant and family-owned," said Danny Wegman. "I have no doubt that our company will be in good hands.”
Dive Insight:
Wegmans, a 92-store supermarket chain with stores in six states in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions, is a popular chain that has attracted devoted followers by putting a premium on selection, cleanliness and customer service. The grocer, routinely named one of thebest companies to work for by Fortune magazine, has extensive pre-packaged meals popular with busy families, along with pizzas, subs and a dining area.有些地方甚至提供dry cleaning, movie rental and childcare.
By choosing to go in-house with its new CEO, the family-owned grocer is picking someone who has been at the retailer for more than a quarter century and is intricately familiar with what has made Wegmans successful. Shewas responsible for developing the store'sNature's Marketplace, a store-within-a-store concept that grouped healthy, natural and specialty foods into one place.
The insight could be especially valuable as the grocer, similar to other food retailers, faces threats fromAmazon,meal-kit delivery services such as Blue Apronand an influx of other brick-and-mortar chains.
Thefirst 20 of Lidl's U.S. stores今年夏天开放,是吗by another 80 within a year. Publix, Kroger and other grocers are expanding their operations, and in some cases entering areas where Wegmans has long dominated. They often employ many of the same tactics that made Wegmans a winner — including top-notch customer service — to woo shoppers.
While naming another Wegman to the company's top post is far from a sure thing, it's the best option for the 101-year old grocer that is going strong now, but will likely face its share of challenges in the increasingly competitive grocery industry.
