Parker Named Interim Prez at Supervalu’s Farm Fresh

Bill Parker has been named the interim president of Farm Fresh Food & Pharmacy, a 43-store division of Supervalu Inc. in the Virginia Beach/Norfolk, Va., market, effective Sept. 15.

Currently Farm Fresh’s senior VP of merchandising, Parker will replace Gaelo de la Fuente, who became the company’s president in April 2010. Fuente is leaving the company to pursue other interests.

“Gaelo has been a solid leader who has made several contributions to Farm Fresh’s success, and we wish him well,” said Kevin Holt, president of Supervalu Retail. “We are fortunate to have someone with Bill’s extensive operation and merchandising experience that will be able to keep the business moving forward as we look to identify a replacement at Farm Fresh.”

Parker brings more than 35 years of experience in the grocery industry to this expanded role. He has been with Farm Fresh for 14 years, holding director, VP and senior VP roles in both operations and merchandising over that time. Before then, Parker worked at the Albertsons Florida division as a district sales manager and store director for 21 years.

Minneapolis-based Supervalu Inc. operates a network of 4,400 stores composed of 1,101 traditional retail stores, including 798 in-store pharmacies; 1,336 hard-discount stores, of which 939 are operated by licensee owners; and 1,950 independent stores serviced primarily by the company’s food distribution business.