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Grocery Outlet’s MacGregor Read named nonexecutive vice chairman

Move follows extreme-value grocer’s expansion of board of directors

Russell Redman

January 9, 2020

3 Min Read
Grocery Outlet-new store.jpg
Grocery Outlet is on track for a total of 33 new store openings in its current fiscal year.Grocery Outlet Holding Corp.

Former Grocery Outlet Bargain Market Co-CEO MacGregor Read plans transition from executive vice chairman to nonexecutive vice chairman on April 1.

The extreme-value grocery chain, known as Grocery Outlet Holding Corp. since its June 2019 initial public offering, said Read will continue to provide leadership to the fast-growing company in his new nonexecutive role. The grandson of Grocery Outlet founder Jim Read, he has been executive vice chairman since January 2019.

“I couldn’t be more proud of the progress Grocery Outlet has made over the last seven decades,” MacGregor Read said in a statement. “Since I started, our store base has tripled to more than 330 stores, and we have added over $2 billion in sales. During this time, we also assembled a highly talented and experienced management team to execute our strategic plan and to continue my grandfather’s mission of touching lives for the better. I remain committed to serving Grocery Outlet in the role of nonexecutive vice chairman as the company capitalizes on the strong growth opportunities that lie ahead.”

MacGregor Read-Grocery Outlet-headshot.jpgMacGregor Read is the grandson of Grocery Outlet founder Jim Read. (Photo courtesy of Grocery Outlet/MacGregor Read)

Joining Grocery Outlet in 1993, Read served in a range of roles across such areas as purchasing, retail merchandising, and real estate and construction. He became co-CEO in 2006 with current Grocery Outlet CEO Eric Lindberg and held that post through the end of 2018, when he shifted to the executive vice chairman role.

Related:Grocery Outlet eyes more growth after strong Q3

“MacGregor has been a passionate leader, helping evolve our business while never allowing us to forget our roots,” Lindberg commented. “His deep connection with independent operators and suppliers along with his vision for growth have helped set the stage for long-term success. While we will miss his daily presence, we look forward to benefitting from his continued leadership on our board and the close friendship so many of us have with him.”

In mid-November, Grocery Outlet said it’s expanding its board from nine to 11 members with the appointments of John “Jeb” Bachman and Mary Kay Haben as independent directors.

Bachman, a former PriceWaterhouseCoopers executive, is slated to stand for election to the board at Grocery Outlet’s 2020 annual shareholders meeting. A veteran of the consumer packaged goods sector, including executive posts at Wrigley and Kraft Foods, Haben will be up for election to the board at the retailer’s 2021 stockholders meeting.

“Jeb and Mary Kay bring impressive credentials with successful track records to Grocery Outlet. We are thrilled to add executives with their skills and experience to the Board of Directors,” Lindberg stated in announcing their appointments. “Their expertise will help us to further enhance Grocery Outlet’s governance and guide our future growth.”

Related:Grocery Outlet champions local, healthy product mix

Emeryville, Calif.-based Grocery Outlet now has 337 stores in California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Washington. The chain saw sales climb 13.1% to $652.5 million for the fiscal 2019 third quarter ended Sept. 28, with same-store sales up 5.8% year over year. Through the quarter’s end, Grocery Outlet had opened 24 of a planned 33 new stores for the fiscal year.

“We also have a high level of visibility into our 2020 lease opportunities and are on track to deliver approximately 10% unit growth, with a strong pipeline of future real estate locations,” Read said in a conference call on Grocery Outlet’s third-quarter results.

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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