Dive Brief:
- Ahold Delhaize USA on Friday named Greg Finchum as the next president of Food Lion.
- Finchum, a 35-year Food Lion veteran who is currently the banner’s executive vice president of retail operations, will assume the top position in May 2025. Finchum succeeds Meg Ham, who is retiring next year.
- Ahold Delhaize USA said Finchum played a key role in the repositioning of Food Lion and has a strong track record of building the chain’s brand loyalty among customers and bolstering workforce morale.
Dive Insight:
Finchum is stepping into big shoes as he ascends to the top role at Food Lion, which has thrived under Ham’s leadership. The banner recently posted its 48th consecutive quarter of positive sales growth, and Ahold Delhaize frequently highlights the chain’s performance during earnings calls.
Finchum has been with Food Lion since 1989 and held his current position for more than 10 years. He previously served as head of strategy and head of retail services for the grocery chain, which runs more than 1,100 stores across 10 Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic states.
In a Friday statement, Ahold Delhaize USA called Finchum “a proven leader in delivering consistent sales growth and strong financial performance,” adding that he has been instrumental in the banner’s evolution.
“We are excited to have Greg, a talented retail operator at heart, step into this role,” JJ Fleeman, CEO of Ahold Delhaize USA, said in a statement. “He leads with a strategic discipline and focus that delivers strong results and solid performance at Food Lion. I look forward to working with him more closely in his new role next year as the leader for the brand.”
Finchum’s appointment as president of Food Lion follows Ahold Delhaize USA’s announcement in September that it had named Roger Wheeler as president of the Dutch grocery company’s Stop & Shop banner. Ahold Delhaize USA promoted John Ruane to president of The Giant Company in July 2023.
