Wakefern Names Chief Sales Officer
Wakefern Food Corp., the nation’s largest retailer-owned cooperative with member companies that own and operate supermarkets under the ShopRite, Price Rite Marketplace, The Fresh Grocer, Dearborn Market, Gourmet Garage and Fairway Market banners, has appointed a new chief sales officer to its leadership team.
Darren Caudill, who joins the cooperative this week, brings over four decades of experience working in both grocery wholesale and retail. As Wakefern’s new chief sales officer, he will head up center store, own brands, fresh and prepared foods departments along with digital and innovation, marketing, merchandising and sales and analytics divisions.
Caudill comes to Wakefern after spending the last decade at Cub Foods, Supervalu and UNFI, where he was a key leader and, most recently, SVP of merchandising, marketing and sales. His experience gives him broad oversight of sales, strategic planning, pricing and marketing strategy, and procurement in both the fresh and center store areas.
He began his career at The Kroger Co., where his experience would lead him from a store manager’s position through roles as a category manager, merchandiser in the grocery and meat divisions, pricing strategy, and loyalty marketing.
“We’re excited to welcome Darren to Wakefern. His proven track record of success in sales and marketing, combined with his extensive experience in grocery retail and wholesale, will allow us to continually innovate and elevate the in-store and online customer experiences we deliver,” said Wakefern President Mike Stigers.
Caudill has also served as a member of the board of directors for Minnesota Grocers, Kemba Columbus Credit Union and as a member of the advisory board of directors for the Institute for Research in Marketing at the University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management. He is a graduate of The Ohio State University.
Keasbey, N.J.-based Wakefern comprises nearly 50 members that independently own and operate hundreds of supermarkets in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. The company is No. 29 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2023 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.
