Kroger names Juan de Paoli vice president of Our Brands

Juan de Paoli, a private brands veteran of companies such as Ahold Delhaize, Topco and H-E-B, has joined The Kroger Co. as vice president of its Our Brands division, overseeing such Kroger brands as Simple Truth and Private Selection. He fills the role vacated by Gilliam Phipps in April 2020.

 “We’re thrilled to welcome Juan De Paoli to our team as the vice president of Our Brands,” said Stuart Aitken, senior vice president and chief merchant and marketing officer for Cincinnati-based Kroger. “At Kroger, we promise to be Fresh for Everyone, and Juan’s passion for connecting with customers and his foresight into emerging trends will continue strengthening our customer loyalty and further differentiate Our Brands as best-in-class products that are both affordable and delicious. Juan’s more than 20 years’ experience in building and growing world-class brands for national and private-label products is paramount to the continued growth and innovation of our leading brands, including Simple Truth, Private Selection and Kroger, among others.”   

De Paoli (left) joins Kroger from Ahold Delhaize USA, where he most recently served as senior vice president, private brands since January 2018, after more than four years as senior vice president, brand management and own brands for Ahold. During his career, he has also served as vice president, program management at Topco Associates LLC, and director, own brand, at H-E-B Grocery Co.

Related:Kroger’s focus on fresh and digital growth pays off in Q3

Kroger’s Our Brands continues to be a shining star for the nation’s largest supermarket chain. The company noted in its third quarter earnings report this week that the division launched 216 new items during the quarter — up from 142 new products in the second quarter — with plans to launch several new products focused on the holiday season like Private Selection Holiday Trail Mix and Simple Truth Cranberry Pistachio Bread.