E-grocer Weee! names John Burry CMO

Retail industry veteran John Burry is now the new chief merchandising officer at Fremont, Calif.-based ethnic e-grocer Weee!

The operator, which delivers fresh Asian and Hispanic staples across North America, said that Burry “brings a wealth of experience building innovative brands, products and services that will be invaluable as Weee! continues to expand its immersive, social shopping experience.”

Burry, who spent more than 20 years at Tesco PLC where he held merchandising, marketing, and general management positions, will play a leadership role in the further development and execution of the Weee! experience as the brand continues to advance its food-at-home offerings, the company said.

Weee! delivers more than 10,000 locally sourced and hard-to-find goods from around the globe directly to customers.

“We are excited to have John join the Weee! team as we revolutionize the e-grocery experience while meeting the massively underserved needs of ethnic communities throughout the U.S.,” Larry Liu, Weee! chief executive officer and founder, said in a statement. “His experience blending the capabilities of one of the world's largest retailers with his entrepreneurial mindset will be an invaluable asset as we look ahead to future growth.”

Weee! offers a customized experience across multiple cultures and cuisines including Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Filipino and Mexican. Customers can shop for fresh and shelf-stable items ranging from essentials to highly seasonal merchandise, with new products added every week. “Burry will bring a unique combination of merchandising skill and innovative thinking to Weee!, overseeing an in-house team that is bringing the brand vision to life,” the company said.

“I'm excited to be joining Weee! at such an important time,” Burry said in a statement. “Larry and the team have built a very special business, with a uniquely differentiated product assortment. I'm looking forward to working with the team here and all our vendors to unleash our full potential. Great products, coupled with a high level of customer insight and a strong technology platform gives me real confidence about what can be achieved over the next few years.”

While at Welwyn Garden City, Eng.-based Tesco, Burry, in 2013, was appointed global director of innovation & futures where he led the development of innovation networks focused on shifts in customer behavior and related technology. Prior to that, he served as chief commercial officer and chief customer officer in which he helped develop Tesco's retail businesses in the United Kingdom, Europe, and the U.S. After leaving Tesco, Burry has been advising a wide variety of brands, private equity and venture funds, and early-stage businesses on acquisition, growth and general strategy.