Charles A Krasne, Krasdale Foods’ CEO of over 50 years, died on Friday, the company said in a press release on Monday. He was 94.
Krasne, whose father founded the company, was the second CEO in the grocery distributor’s 117-year history.
Along with its distribution business, Krasdale Foods also runs several banners including CTown, Aim and Bravo.
For the last several years, a team of executives led by President and Chief Operating Officer Gus Lebiak has managed the company’s strategy and day-to-day leadership and will continue to do so going forward, a company spokesperson wrote in an email.
During his time at the company, Krasne “transformed Krasdale Foods from a local wholesaler and distributor into a fully integrated grocery servicer and supplier,” the announcement said. He expanded the company’s footprint beyond New York City to the Northeast and Florida and also formed the company’s retail arm to offer advertising, marketing, merchandising and business services support to independents.
Krasne was born in 1930, attended Yale and earned his master’s degree from Harvard. He worked briefly with his father at Krasdale Foods before heading to IBM. In the 1960s, Krasne returned to the grocery distributor and set up an operational data processing and inventory management system that improved inventory turnover while maintaining a 97% fill rate, the announcement noted.
When large supermarket chains started to leave New York in the late 1970s, Krasne saw a chance to help the small bodegas and grocers by providing merchandising, marketing and business support in addition to wholesaling and distribution, the press release noted.
To give back to the communities where Krasdale operates, Krasne hosted local events and partnered with organizations such as the Yankees Foundation, Food Bank for New York City and DreamYard to support underserved communities, according to the announcement. Krasne also mentored people in the industry.
Krasne’s survivors include his companion, his sister, four children and seven grandchildren.
