Wakefern names new group VP of Fresh

Wakefern Food Corp. has named Mark Van Buskirk as group vice president (GVP) of Fresh.

Van Buskirk will oversee Wakefern’s fresh food divisions, including Appetizers/Food Service, Bakery, Meat, Seafood, Produce and Floral.

He brings more than 35 years of expertise in marketing, sales, operations and private brand development for supermarket and convenience chains.

Van Buskirk most recently served as senior vice president of Merchandising & Marketing for The Save Mart Companies, based in Modesto, California. As a member of the executive leadership team, he was responsible for overseeing the Corporate Merchandising & Procurement teams, as well as leading efforts in strategic and financial planning, merchandising analytics and shopper insights. 

Prior to that role, Mark worked at Jacksons Food Stores, a convenience store outlet with more than 300 locations in Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, California and Utah.  

At Albertsons Companies, Inc., he presided as group vice president of Merchandising for Grocery, Frozen, Dairy and Liquor, and was responsible for corporate merchandising teams, strategic planning, procurement, and shopper analytics and insights.

Wakefern Food Corp. comprises nearly 50 members that independently own and operate hundreds of supermarkets under the ShopRite, Price Rite Marketplace, The Fresh Grocer, Dearborn Market, Gourmet Garage, Fairway Market, and Di Bruno Bros. banners in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. Wakefern is based in Keasbey, N.J.