Family-owned Stew Leonard’s taps Jake Tavello as COO

East Coast grocer Stew Leonard’s has appointed Jake Tavello as COO, continuing its history as a family-owned business. Tavello is the grandson of store founder, Stew Leonard, and a nephew of the company’s current president and CEO, Stew Leonard, Jr., the independent grocer announced earlier this month.

“Since joining the family business, Jake has not only earned my respect but the respect of his peers at Stew’s,” said Leonard, Jr. in a statement “He works hard and not only has the best interests of Stew Leonard’s at heart, but he also really wants to grow and develop our team members.”

Tavello, who joined the family business in 2003 while in high school, has served as vice president of stores since 2020, managing company-wide technology initiatives and sales opportunities. In his new role, Tavello will oversee product quality and freshness, customer service excellence and employee recruitment, the grocer announced.

“I’m sure that when my grandfather first opened in 1969, he never dreamed that Stew Leonard’s would one day welcome more than 20 million shoppers a year, have 3,000 team members, or seven farm-fresh food stores,” noted Tavello. “I’m excited to be part of the team leading our family business into the next generation and I hope to continue my family’s commitment to creating happy team members and happy customers at Stew Leonard’s.”

Tavello, who has been employed in every department at  Stew Leonard’s, worked for three years at Wegmans Food Markets in its management training program, both in Rochester, New York, and outside Boston, Massachusetts. 

In 2015, Tavello returned to Stew Leonard’s as store director at the grocery retailer’s Danbury, Connecticut, location and launched Instacart at Stew’s. He then went on to serve as the opening VP of Stew Leonard’s in Paramus, New Jersey, before his promotion to VP of stores in 2020. 

Tavello graduated from Salve Regina University in Rhode Island and received his master’s degree in business administration from Bentley University. 

Norwalk, Connecticut-based Stew Leonard’s operates seven stores in Norwalk, Danbury and Newington, Connecticut; in East Meadow, Farmingdale & Yonkers, New York; and in Paramus, New Jersey.