Smart & Final President Scott Drew to retire

Scott Drew, president of warehouse-style grocer Smart & Final, is slated to retire this week after over a year-and-a-half in the post.

Plans call for Drew to step down on Friday, Los Angeles-based parent company Chedrau USA said Wednesday.

With Drew’s retirement, the position of Smart & Final president is being phased out. Chedraui USA said Smart & Final’s Sean Mahony, senior vice president of store operations, and Matt Reeve, senior vice president of sales and merchandising, will report directly to Chedraui USA President and CEO Carlos Smith, as will Dan Matarelli, group vice president of Chedraui USA Marketing.

“I am grateful for Scott’s tireless service to Smart & Final for more than a decade,” Smith said in a statement. “I wish him and his wife, Kelly, the very best as they embark on this next chapter of their lives.”

Smart & Final operates more than 250 Smart & Final Extra! and Smart & Final warehouse-style grocery stores in California, Nevada and Arizona. The Commerce, California-based chain was acquired by Bodega Latina Corp., part of Mexican retailer Grupo Comercial Chedraui, in a $620 million deal in May 2021.

Scott Drew, president of Smart & Final. / Photo courtesy of Chedraui USA

Drew was promoted from chief operating officer to president of Smart & Final in December 2021 and took the reins in February 2022, succeeding President and CEO David Hirz, who retired. At the time, Smart & Final also announced that Bodega Latina was changing its name to Chedraui USA, led by Smith as president and CEO.

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Smart & Final had elevated Drew to COO in June 2020, when the retailer created the position. He previously served as executive VP of stores, executive VP of administration and executive VP of operations. Drew joined Smart & Final in March 2010 as senior VP of store operations. His responsibilities at the company have included leading store operations, real estate, construction and maintenance, supply chain, and sales and merchandising. He began his grocery career over four decades ago as a store clerk.

With more than 45 years in the retail grocery industry, Drew started his career in 1977 as a store courtesy clerk. He came to Smart & Final from The Kroger Co., where most recently he served as vice president of store operations for Kroger’s Central Division in Indianapolis.

From June 2018 to September 2021, Drew also served as chairman of Smart & Final Mexico, which has 17 stores in northwestern Mexico via a joint venture with Central Detallista S.A. de C.V., operator of the Calimax supermarket chain.

Related:Smart & Final Names New President as CEO Set to Retire

Overall, Chedraui USA operates 377 grocery stores in California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas under the Smart & Final, El Super and Fiesta Mart banners.