Kroger names new chief merchandising and marketing officer

Kroger has named Mary Ellen Adcock as its new chief merchandising and marketing officer, effective Jan. 1, 2025, the company said in a press release on Friday.

Adcock, who has served as senior vice president of operations since 2019, succeeds Stuart Aitken, who is stepping down from the role to pursue other opportunities, the company said. 

Kroger Chairman and CEO Rodney McMullen called Adcock a “respected leader within Kroger and our industry.”

“Her deep strategic experience in her past 25 years with Kroger in roles of increasing responsibility will continue to drive value for customers and growth for our business and associates,” McMullen added. 

Valarie Jabbar and Kenny Kimball, senior vice presidents of retail operations, and Paula Kash, who leads enterprise retail operations, including asset protection, corporate food technology, and e-commerce operations, will now report to McMullen, Kroger said. 

“On behalf of the Kroger Board and management team, I want to thank Stuart for his work to evolve Kroger's brand while bringing exciting, innovating products to our shelves,” McMullen said in the press release. “He played an instrumental role in overseeing dunnhumby's integration and establishing 84.51º. We wish Stuart and his family all the best as they embark on a new chapter.”

As senior vice president of operations, Adcock has led strategic operations for more than 2,700 stores in 35 states. Kroger said she has delivered more than $1 billion in annual operations savings for six years in a row. 

She joined Kroger in 1999 in the grocer’s manufacturing division and was promoted to vice president of deli/bakery manufacturing in 2009. She became vice president of natural foods in 2012, and in 2014 led merchandising and operations for the Columbus division. She was named group vice president of retail operations in 2016 and senior vice president of retail operations in 2019.