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UNFI hires Matt Echols as corporate affairs chief

Longtime Coca-Cola executive to fill newly created role at distributor

Russell Redman

January 12, 2022

2 Min Read
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Under a new organizational structure, Matt Echols will lead a combined corporate communications and engagement, government affairs, and environmental and social impact team, United Natural Foods Inc. said.UNFI

Matt Echols has joined United Natural Foods Inc. (UNFI) as chief corporate affairs officer, a newly created position.

Plans call for Echols — who has spent more than 23 years at The Coca-Cola Co. in various corporate communications, public affairs and government relations roles — to start in the new post on March 1, Providence, R.I.-based UNFI said. As part of the c-suite team, he will report to UNFI CEO Sandy Douglas.

UNFI noted that Echols’ appointment will usher in a new organizational structure, in which the corporate communications and engagement, government affairs, and environmental and social impact departments will be combined into one team and report to him.

“In this time of industry and social change, I am excited to join the UNFI team and bring these important functions together to proactively engage with our associates, customers, communities, and shareholders” Echols said in a statement. “UNFI has a compelling growth story, with an impressive history of community impact to go with it.”

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Currently, Echols (left) serves as global vice president of public affairs, communications and sustainability operations at Atlanta-based Coca-Cola, holding that role since February 2021. His nearly 24-year career with the beverage and food giant includes serving as senior vice president of public affairs, communications and sustainability for North America from 2015 to 2019 and a similar role for the Asia-Pacific region (based in Singapore) from 2019 to 2021, when he also led the company’s signature packaging initiative in the region called World Without Waste. He joined Coca-Cola in 1998 and rose to lead government affairs at all levels in the U.S. market, including the Washington D.C., office, before branching into the corporate communications, sustainability and reputation functions.

Related:UNFI elevates Mark Bushway to supply chain chief

Prior to joining Coca-Cola, Echols worked on Capitol Hill for several Democratic and Republican U.S. Congress members from his home state of Georgia, including former Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R.), a longtime member of the House Agriculture Committee and later chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry.

“As we continue our journey to improve the way we serve existing and future customers, we know we need stronger and fully integrated capabilities across environmental, social and governance (ESG), communications and public policy. This new role reflects our belief in the value created for UNFI’s customers, suppliers, associates and other stakeholders through these critical areas,” Douglas stated. “Matt is a seasoned senior executive with the business acumen and subject matter expertise to lead our integrated approach. He will be a valuable member of our executive leadership team.”

Related:UNFI promotes Bob Garibaldi to president, Pacific region

North America’s largest publicly traded grocery distributor, UNFI operates nearly 50 distribution centers and supplies more than 30,000 retailers in the United States and Canada, including natural product superstores, independent retailers, conventional supermarket chains, e-commerce retailers and foodservice providers.

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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