Plated CEO Josh Hix Steps Down

Josh Hix, co-founder and CEO of meal kit company Plated, has stepped down from his role at parent company Albertsons Cos., the company said. In his place, Pat Brown, Albertsons’ group VP of strategic business initiatives, will oversee the Plated team and work closely with its senior leadership structure.

“We sincerely thank Josh for his dedication to Plated from its inception, and we look forward to sustaining and growing Plated in the future with their talented New York City-based team,” Albertsons said in an email to WGB. “The meal kit industry is a dynamic and evolving space and we look forward to continuing to expand Plated throughout our company's 20-plus banners across the country.”

Albertsons acquired Plated in 2017 in an effort to break into the online meal kit industry and bridge its digital and physical food retailing worlds. The Boise, Idaho-based company kept Plated as a stand-alone brand in which it maintained its own leadership team led by Hix, with headquarters in New York.

Plated’s other co-founder, Nick Taranto, departed the company last October.

With a mission to enhance its omnichannel experience, Albertsons has invested in packaging innovations, recipe development and consumer testing to bring Plated meal kits to more than 300 brick-and-mortar locations, with plans for continued expansion.

Related:Plated Meal Kits to Reach 650 Albertsons Stores This Year

“Plated had an exciting year rolling into hundreds of Albertsons Cos. stores and continues to iterate and learn as it evolves its offering through a variety of channels,” Christine Wilcox, VP of communications for Albertsons, told WGB. “We’re looking forward to expanding Plated’s footprint and growing the brand throughout our stores.”