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Stacey Kravitz named new UNFI Canada president

Peter Brennan slated to retire at end of fiscal year

Russell Redman

May 6, 2020

2 Min Read
UNFI-headquarters_sign.png
As UNFI Canada president, Stacey Kravitz will oversee broadline natural, organic and specialty distribution in Canada and lead a sales, merchandising and supply chain organization of more 450 associates.UNFI

Grocery distributor United Natural Foods Inc. (UNFI) has promoted Stacey Kravitz to president of UNFI Canada, succeeding Peter Brennan, who is retiring.

Plans call for Kravitz, currently senior vice president of sales for Canada, to take the reins as president effective Aug. 2. UNFI said late yesterday that Brennan will stay in his current role through Aug. 7 and remain with the company as a consultant until October to help Kravitz transition into her new post.

UNFI Canada has its head office in Concord, Ontario. As president, Kravitz will oversee broadline natural, organic and specialty distribution in Canada and lead a sales, merchandising and supply chain organization of more 450 associates. She will report to Chris Testa, president and chief marketing officer of Providence, R.I.-based UNFI.

Stacey Kravitz-Peter Brennan-UNFI Canada.jpg

UNFI Canada's Stacey Kravitz, currently senior vice president of sales, has been tabbed to succeed president Peter Brennan in August.

“Stacey creates highly collaborative stakeholder relationships and has a proven track record of building sales, developing business relationships, managing operations,and leading strategic planning,” Testa said in a statement. “Her UNFI experience and accomplishments — from structuring national sales and customer business teams to negotiating high-profile preferred distribution agreements — are among her many career achievements that led to today’s announcement. Stacey is a recognized industry professional, and we’re excited to have her lead UNFI Canada into the future.”

Related:UNFI hires DHL’s Jim Gehr as chief supply chain officer

Kravitz joined UNFI Canada as vice president of sales in June 2016 and was elevated to senior VP of sales this past January. Before that, she spent nearly 20 years in a range of sales leadership roles at Kraft Heinz and predecessor Kraft Foods, most recently as customer vice president. Last May, she was elected to the board of directors of the Canadian Health Food Association (CHFA) and now chairs CHFA’s human resources committee.      

A 50-year grocery industry veteran, Brennan has served as UNFI Canada president since joining the company in 2016.

“Peter’s contribution to our Canadian business has been outstanding,” UNFI Chief Operating Officer Eric Dorne commented. “He’s helped position and lead the Canadian business through a dynamic period of industry change and consolidation and has developed and mentored strong regional and national teams to execute our go-to-market strategy while delivering terrific results. We thank Peter for his positive impacts on UNFI, and we wish him all the best in retirement.”

About the Author

Russell Redman

Senior Editor
Supermarket News

Russell Redman has served as senior editor at Supermarket News since April 2018, his second tour with the publication. In his current role, he handles daily news coverage for the SN website and contributes news and features for the print magazine, as well as participates in special projects, podcasts and webinars and attends industry events. Russ joined SN from Racher Press Inc.’s Chain Drug Review and Mass Market Retailers magazines, where he served as desk/online editor for more than nine years, covering the food/drug/mass retail sector. 

Russell Redman’s more than 30 years of experience in journalism span a range of editorial manager, editor, reporter/writer and digital roles at a variety of publications and websites covering a breadth of industries, including retailing, pharmacy/health care, IT, digital home, financial technology, financial services, real estate/commercial property, pro audio/video and film. He started his career in 1989 as a local news reporter and editor, covering community news and politics in Long Island, N.Y. His background also includes an earlier stint at Supermarket News as center store editor and then financial editor in the mid-1990s. Russ holds a B.A. in journalism (minor in political science) from Hofstra University, where he also earned a certificate in digital/social media marketing in November 2016.

Russell Redman’s experience:

Supermarket News - Informa
Senior Editor 
April 2018 - present

Chain Drug Review/Mass Market Retailers - Racher Press
Desk/Online Editor 
Sept. 2008 - March 2018

CRN magazine - CMP Media
Managing Editor
May 2000 - June 2007

Bank Systems & Technology - Miller Freeman
Executive Editor/Managing Editor
Dec. 1996 - May 2000

Supermarket News - Fairchild Publications
Financial Editor/Associate Editor
April 1995 - Dec. 1996 

Shopping Centers Today Magazine - ICSC 
Desk Editor/Assistant Editor
Dec. 1992 - April 1995

Testa Communications
Assistant Editor/Contributing Editor (Music & Sound Retailer, Post, Producer, Sound & Communications and DJ Times magazines)
Jan. 1991 - Dec. 1992 

American Banker/Bond Buyer
Copy Editor
Oct. 1990 - Jan. 1991 

This Week newspaper - Chanry Communications
Reporter/Editor
May 1989 - July 1990

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