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Grocery Outlet expands board of directors

Gail Moody-Byrd, María Fernanda Mejía appointments grow membership to 12

Russell Redman

January 20, 2021

3 Min Read
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Since going public over 18 months ago, Grocery Outlet has expanded its retail base from 323 stores to 375 locations in six states.Grocery Outlet

Extreme-value retailer Grocery Outlet Holding Corp. has named Gail Moody-Byrd and María Fernanda Mejía to its board of directors, which now has 12 members.

Grocery Outlet said late yesterday that Moody-Byrd and Mejía joined the board effective Jan. 18 and bring technology and consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry expertise to the company. The fast-growing, warehouse-style grocer, based in Emeryville, Calif., became a public company in June 2019 and has since expanded its retail base from 323 stores to 375 locations in California, Washington, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Idaho and Nevada. Net sales in the retailer's most recently reported quarter, ended Sept. 26, jumped 17.% to $764.1 million while samee-store sales rose 9.1%.

“We are pleased to be welcoming Gail and María Fernanda to our board of directors,” Grocery Outlet Chairman Erik Ragatz said in a statement. “Both are highly accomplished in their fields and bring tremendous experience to the organization.”

Moody-Byrd has more than 35 years of experience in B2B technology marketing and retail/wholesale industry consulting, merchandising and planning, Grocery Outlet said. Currently, she serves as chief marketing officer for Noodle.ai, an artificial intelligence software company, where she oversees the entire marketing stack, including category and brand awareness, demand generation, digital marketing and business development. She is also a board member at Juma Ventures, a nonprofit focused on reducing poverty in the United States through work, education and financial capability for youth. 

Related:Grocery Outlet fuels expansion as third-quarter sales climb

Prior to joining Noodle.ai, Moody-Byrd spent 10 years at enterprise software giant SAP, most recently as vice president of web marketing. Her retail industry experience includes roles with divisions of Macy’s Inc. and Target Corporation, with Levi, Strauss & Co. and as a Retail consultant with McKinsey & Company and Walter K. Levy Associates. 

A veteran CPG executive Mejía’s global career extends more than 30 years in general management and operations, including experience in strategic planning, brand management, customer development, supply chain, digital engagement, M&A and talent development. She most recently served as senior vice president at The Kellogg Co. and president of Kellogg Latin America. During her tenure, she led the growth and transformation of Kellogg’s Latin America business and organization, including the development of a long-term strategy to accelerate growth in the core and emerging core segments, Grocery Outlet noted. She was also a talent leader and diversity champion of Kellogg’s corporate and regional initiatives. 

Related:Hellman & Friedman to divest stake in Grocery Outlet

Before coming to  Kellogg, Mejía served as corporate vice president and general manager of global personal care at Colgate-Palmolive Co., where she had direct oversight of strategy category and brand development, consumer insights, R&D and supply chain. She currently serves as a nonexecutive director at Bunzl PLC.

“Gail’s background in brand awareness, technology and data-driven consumer marketing and retail industry consulting, combined with María Fernanda’s experience in strategic planning, supply chain and customer engagement, further strengthen our board,” according to Ragatz. “Importantly, Gail and María Fernanda are champions of diversity and strongly align with Grocery Outlet’s culture. We look forward to benefiting from their expertise, creativity and enthusiasm as we continue to advance our long-term growth strategies.”

About the Author

Russell Redman

Senior Editor
Supermarket News

Russell Redman has served as senior editor at Supermarket News since April 2018, his second tour with the publication. In his current role, he handles daily news coverage for the SN website and contributes news and features for the print magazine, as well as participates in special projects, podcasts and webinars and attends industry events. Russ joined SN from Racher Press Inc.’s Chain Drug Review and Mass Market Retailers magazines, where he served as desk/online editor for more than nine years, covering the food/drug/mass retail sector. 

Russell Redman’s more than 30 years of experience in journalism span a range of editorial manager, editor, reporter/writer and digital roles at a variety of publications and websites covering a breadth of industries, including retailing, pharmacy/health care, IT, digital home, financial technology, financial services, real estate/commercial property, pro audio/video and film. He started his career in 1989 as a local news reporter and editor, covering community news and politics in Long Island, N.Y. His background also includes an earlier stint at Supermarket News as center store editor and then financial editor in the mid-1990s. Russ holds a B.A. in journalism (minor in political science) from Hofstra University, where he also earned a certificate in digital/social media marketing in November 2016.

Russell Redman’s experience:

Supermarket News - Informa
Senior Editor 
April 2018 - present

Chain Drug Review/Mass Market Retailers - Racher Press
Desk/Online Editor 
Sept. 2008 - March 2018

CRN magazine - CMP Media
Managing Editor
May 2000 - June 2007

Bank Systems & Technology - Miller Freeman
Executive Editor/Managing Editor
Dec. 1996 - May 2000

Supermarket News - Fairchild Publications
Financial Editor/Associate Editor
April 1995 - Dec. 1996 

Shopping Centers Today Magazine - ICSC 
Desk Editor/Assistant Editor
Dec. 1992 - April 1995

Testa Communications
Assistant Editor/Contributing Editor (Music & Sound Retailer, Post, Producer, Sound & Communications and DJ Times magazines)
Jan. 1991 - Dec. 1992 

American Banker/Bond Buyer
Copy Editor
Oct. 1990 - Jan. 1991 

This Week newspaper - Chanry Communications
Reporter/Editor
May 1989 - July 1990

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