Curci’s 40-year career has included extensive c-suite leadership experience at various retail grocery organizations. For 14 years, he was CEO of Tops, building the organization from the ground up after it separated from Ahold (now Ahold Delhaize). Curci also headed many key strategic initiatives that grew the Tops business, including the acquisitions of 79 Penn Traffic stores in 2010 and 21 Grand Union stores in 2012.
Curci, who is also an NGI board member, collaborated with Grimmett during the merger process and is thoroughly familiar with the strategies developed to grow the company. “I’m excited about the future of this company and implementing the plans Scott and I have put in place,” said Curci. “With our now-combined footprint of nearly 300 stores, we are better positioned to leverage increased value for customers, advance shared opportunities for innovation, and fortify the depth of our expanded workforce, community and trade partnerships, making us stronger and more competitive.”
Curci will work from NGI headquarters in Schenectady, N.Y. As previously revealed, Blaine Bringhurst is president of the Price Chopper/Market 32 business and John Persons is president of the Tops Markets business. Dave Langless, formerly the CFO of Tops, is NGI’s CFO.
Based in Schenectady and founded by the Golub family, Price Chopper/Market 32 operates 130 Price Chopper and Market 32 grocery stores and one Market Bistro, employing 18,000 teammates in New York, Vermont, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Williamsville, N.Y.-based Tops has 160 grocery stores in New York, Pennsylvania, and Vermont, including five that are run by franchisees, and employs more than 14,000 associates. Under the merger agreement, the two companies will be managed locally by their respective leaders and continue to be referred to by their established banners, but will be owned and overseen by a new parent company, Northeast Grocery Inc. Price Chopper/Market 32 is No. 56 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2021 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America, while Tops is No. 66 on the list.