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Sprouts names Hari Avula to board of directors

Seasoned CFO brings deep experience from leading CPG/retail brands

Russell Redman

May 25, 2022

2 Min Read
Sprouts_supermarket.jpg
Currently chief financial and strategy officer at Clif Bar, new Sprouts Farmers Market board member Hari Avula previously held CFO roles at Walgreens Boots Alliance and PepsiCo/Frito-Lay.Sprouts Farmers Market

Hari Avula has joined the board of directors at specialty grocer Sprouts Farmers Market.

Phoenix-based Sprouts said late yesterday that Avula brings extensive financial and strategic expertise from top consumer packaged goods (CPG) and retail brands to the company’s board. Currently, he serves as chief financial and strategic officer at Clif Bar & Co., a role he has held since May 2021.

Hari Avula-Sprouts board-Clif Bar CFO.jpg“I am thrilled and humbled to join the Sprouts board,” Avula (pictured left) said in a statement. “I have long admired Sprouts for supporting wellness in its communities, and I look forward to working with the board and management team as Sprouts continues to fulfill its mission of broadening access to healthy living options.”

As chief financial and strategic officer at Clif Bar, Avula leads the financial management and enterprise strategy functions for the nutritious and organic food company. He came to Clif Bar from Walgreens Boots Alliance, where he served as CFO of global business transformation and digital/IT from 2020 to 2021 and, prior to that, as CFO of the Retail Pharmacy USA business from 2017 to 2020. 

Before joining Walgreens, Avula spent more than 22 years at PepsiCo in a range of financial and strategic roles. Most recently, he served as CFO of Frito Lay North America from 2015 to 2017. He also held a variety of senior vice president posts with PepsiCo and Frito-Lay in finance, sales and marketing, and strategy, along with international roles in Thailand and Australia.

Related:With Q1 sales up, Sprouts continues focus on new products to grow basket size

“I’m excited to welcome Hari to our board,” Sprouts CEO and board director Jack Sinclair stated. “Hari’s financial acumen and strategic experience at companies of scale will be highly valuable as we continue to grow.”

With the addition of Avula, the Sprouts board has eight members, led by Chairman Joseph Fortunato, who has served in that role since February 2017 and on the retailer’s board since May 2013.

Overall, Sprouts operates about 380 fresh, natural and organic grocery stores in 23 states nationwide.

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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