Price Chopper Enterprises Names Brian Haaraoja New CEO

Price Chopper Enterprises has named Brian Haaraoja CEO and president. He succeeds Peter Ciacco, who will retire in mid-April.

Haaraoja was most recently VP of marketing and merchandising for Oklahoma City, Okla.-based H.A.C. Inc., Homeland Foods’ parent company. He has extensive grocery experience, including divisional and departmental VP roles with SpartanNash, in Grand Rapids, Mich.; Shaw's, in West Bridgewater, Mass.; and Giant Foods, based in Landover, Md.  After graduating from Western Michigan University with a B.S. in food distribution, he began his career with Jewel Foods, in Chicago.

“I look forward to Brian’s contributions to this organization,” said Ciacco. “The board is confident in Brian’s ability to lead Price Chopper moving forward. He is a proven leader whose experience and industry knowledge will greatly benefit our enterprise.”

Price Chopper Enterprises (P.E.C.), PCEKC LLC, is responsible for the marketing, advertising, ad coordination, and shared business operations for the 52 Price Chopper independent grocery stores in the Kansas City area. The stores are locally owned by the Cosentino, Ball, McKeever and Queen families. P.C.E. also provides services for the four Price Chopper stores in Des Moines, Iowa, operated by D.G.S., which is a subsidiary of Associated Wholesale Grocers.