Ex-Giant Eagle president John Lucot joins Mercatus

John Lucot, former president and chief operating officer of Giant Eagle, has been hired as senior strategic adviser to the executive team at grocery e-commerce technology provider Mercatus.

Toronto-based Mercatus said Wednesday that Lucot will support its retailer engagement initiatives, using his grocery industry expertise and experience — including 42 years at regional grocer Giant Eagle — to help Mercatus clients succeed, as well as help advance Mercatus’ cloud solutions.

“Already a leader in its space, Mercatus is continuing to build on its reputation as a trusted e-commerce partner to the grocery industry,” Lucot said in a statement. “The platform, its broad functionality and the company’s rapid pace of innovation is impressive. I look forward to leveraging my operations experience and insights as a retail executive to help ensure Mercatus clients have the mission-critical solutions they need to connect to, retain and profit from their online customers.”

Lucot (left) served as president and COO at Giant Eagle from January 2012 to his retirement from the Pittsburgh-based retailer in June 2016. He started at the company in 1974 as a supermarket clerk, rising through the ranks to land executive positions in distribution, retail development, real estate and operations, eventually becoming COO in July 2010. He added the title of president less than two years later. Lucot is credited with playing a key role in the development of Giant Eagle’s GetGo convenience store, real estate and independent operations units, as well as in elevating the retailer’s shopping experience.

Related:Pickup, delivery growth spurs March online grocery sales

In addition, Lucot has served as a member of Topco Holdings’ board of directors, for which he was named chairman in 2016. He’s also longtime member of the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) board and continues to serve on various industry and philanthropic boards.

Sylvain Perrier, president and CEO of Mercatus, noted that Lucot’s experience will be pivotal as the company’s helps grocery retailer’s establish and build out their e-commerce businesses. According to Brick Meets Click research sponsored by Mercatus, the U.S. online grocery market tallied sales of $9.3 billion this past March, up 43% year over year.

“At a time of such rapid channel growth, having someone like John — a proven leader in the grocery industry with years of retail business acumen — will be extremely valuable to Mercatus and our clients,” Perrier stated. “From his long, successful career at Giant Eagle, to his impact as a board member at a number of industry organizations, John is engaging, knowledgeable and insightful. I’m looking forward to working closely with him, as is my executive team, as we address the most relevant digital commerce needs of grocery retailers quickly and clearly.”

Related:Piggly Wiggly Midwest re-ups e-commerce partnership with Mercatus