Farmstead Adds Walmart, Ahold Veteran to Executive Team

Online grocer Farmstead announced it has hired John Shaw, formerly a sourcing leader for Walmart and Ahold Delhaize's Peapod Digital Labs, as head of supply.

Shaw joins Burlingame, Calif.-based Farmstead from Peapod, where he served for two years as senior director of international sourcing and support. Previously, he worked in logistics and emerging markets management for Walmart, eventually ascending to the role of director of strategy and chief of staff for global business services during a nearly nine-year tenure with the Bentonville, Ark.-based retailer.

In his new role, Shaw will lead Farmstead's merchandising, sourcing and supply-chain initiatives. The company relies on a dark-store delivery model to serve customers within an approximately 50-mile radius of its operating hubs—currently the San Francisco Bay Area; Charlotte, N.C.; Raleigh-Durham, N.C.; Austin, Texas; Nashville; and Miami. It also offers its proprietary Grocery OS technology stack to grocers looking to build out their own online operations, including through dark stores. 

"Logistics tied to the perishables supply chain is at the heart of Farmstead’s success," Farmstead co-founder and CEO Pradeep Elankumaran said in a news release about Shaw's hire. "John brings highly relevant experience working with local, national and international supply chains, a track record of success in scaling large supply chain organizations, and the energy and passion that a startup role requires."

Over the summer, Farmstead announced it was expanding its Refill & Save grocery reorder service, which lets customers save 5% on items they tag for recurring orders, companywide after debuting the offering in San Francisco. Farmstead said at the time that about 80% of customers shop with the company weekly. "We know that our customers are also going to be shopping elsewhere, but we want to capture as much of that basket as possible, especially when it comes to the weekly staples, the perishable items that you know you’re going to need and want," Farmstead Head of Business Development Linda Lee said in an interview with WGB. 

Last month, Farmstead announced it will begin accepting EBT/SNAP payments for orders placed through its website or app in 2022. "The growth of online grocery, shifting consumer demands and technology have accelerated beyond expectations," Shaw said in his own statement about joining the company. "To win in the future, retailers must find ways to drive value through simplifying the process, leveraging technology and evolving the consumer experience. ... Farmstead is on the cusp of enormous growth, and I'm excited about helping to strengthen the foundation required."