Kroger Names Mary Ellen Adcock Chief Merchandising and Marketing Officer
The Kroger Co. has revealed that Mary Ellen Adcock, its SVP of operations since 2019, will succeed Stuart Aitken as chief merchandising and marketing officer. Aitken, who will remain in his role at Kroger through Dec. 31, is leaving the company to pursue other professional opportunities.
“Mary Ellen is a respected leader both within Kroger and our industry,” said Kroger Chairman and CEO Rodney McMullen. “Her deep strategic experience in her past 25 years with Kroger in roles of increasing responsibility will continue to drive value for customers and growth for our business and associates.”
Valerie Jabbar and Kenny Kimball, who oversee Kroger operating divisions, and group VP of Retail Operations Paula Kash, who leads enterprise retail operations, including asset protection, corporate food technology and e-commerce operations, will continue in their current roles but will now report to McMullen.
“On behalf of the Kroger board and management team, I want to thank Stuart for his work to evolve Kroger’s brand while bringing exciting, innovating products to our shelves,” said McMullen. “He played an instrumental role in overseeing dunnhumby’s integration and establishing 84.51º. We wish Stuart and his family all the best as they embark on a new chapter.”
As Kroger’s SVP of operations since 2019, Adcock has headed strategic operations for the company’s 2,700-plus stores in 35 states, supporting more than 416,000 associates and serving 11 million customers daily. As well as overseeing customer experience, associate experience, asset protection, process change and productivity improvement initiatives, Adcock is responsible for maintaining food safety and regulatory standards.
[Read more: Top Women in Grocery Videos: The Power of Community in Grocery]
During her tenure as SVP of operations, Adcock has delivered more than $1 billion in annual operations savings; Kroger was able to reinvest those savings to lower prices for customers and raise wages for associates. She achieved this goal while also developing Kroger’s Full, Fresh & Friendly: Every Customer Every Time program to improve the shopper experience.
Adcock also played a major role in activating Zero Hunger | Zero Waste, Kroger’s initiative to end hunger in its surrounding communities and eliminate waste as a company. She led the organization in reaching 100% store participation in the company’s surplus food rescue program for the first time.
Adcock joined Kroger in 1999 in its manufacturing division, where she took on a range of leadership positions. In 2009, she became VP of deli/bakery manufacturing, and in 2012, VP of natural foods. Two years later, she was tapped to lead merchandising and operations for the Columbus division. Adcock was promoted to group VP of retail operations in 2016 and appointed SVP of retail operations three years after that. In 2022, Adcock received the Top Women in Grocery Trailblazer award. At Progressive Grocer’s 2024 Grocery Impact event earlier this month, she discussed her career path in a session with PG Editorial Director and Associate Publisher Gina Acosta.
The Kroger Family of Companies’ nearly 420,000 associates serve more than 11 million customers daily through a digital shopping experience and retail food stores under a variety of banner names. The Cincinnati-based grocer is No. 4 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2024 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. PG also named Kroger one of its Retailers of the Century.
