The Giant Co.’s Paul Madarieta Honored as Minority Business Leader

Paul Madarieta, director of urban retail for The Giant Company of Carlisle, Pa., has been named a Philadelphia Business Journal 2020 Minority Business Leader. One of 25 minority business leaders honored by the publication, Madarieta was the only member of the grocery industry to make the list.

Paul Madarieta

“Paul is an exceptional leader and invaluable part of The Giant Company team, and we couldn’t agree more with the Philadelphia Business Journal’s choice to recognize him with this honor, said Matt Simon, VP of urban retail and chief marketing officer, The Giant Co., in a statement.

“As a company that values diversity in all areas of our business, we embrace the unique perspective Paul brings to the table. He’s got a pulse on the industry, our customers and the communities we serve and we’re incredibly fortunate to have him on our team as we continue connecting families for a better future in Philadelphia.”

Madarieta, who joined Giant in February 2016 as district director before being named to his current position in 2018, is acknowledged for his critical role in developing the company’s new urban format store, Giant Heirloom Market.

He is credited with leveraging his extensive knowledge of the city shopper and passion for food to lead a team of innovators in creating a new shopping experience dedicated to uniquely serving urban neighborhoods. There are currently three Giant Heirloom Market locations in Philadelphia, with a fourth planned.

Madarieta got his start in urban grocery retailing with Trader Joe’s, where he spent more than 20 years in operations. Prior to his role with The Giant Co., he was the general manager and director of business development at the online grocery shopping and delivery service Fresh Direct.

For a dozen years, the Philadelphia Business Journal’s Minority Business Leader Awards Program has recognized the region’s top minority business leaders based on demonstrated business success over the past 12 to 18 months.