ST. CLOUD, MN - Coborn’s has hired longtime retail produce veteran Tom Williams as the company’s new Director of Produce and Floral Merchandising.
In his most recent role, Williams served as Manager of Corporate Retail Produce and Floral at SpartanNash Company. Prior to that role, he spent 35 years in various leadership positions with Supervalu’s Northern Region, Brookshire Grocery Company, Cub Foods Corporate, H. Brooks and Company, and Upper Lakes Foods.
As Coborn’s new Director of Produce and Floral, Williams will be in charge of developing and leading the implementation of produce and floral merchandising strategies for the company’s separate retail divisions, including Coborn’s, Cash Wise, Marketplace Foods and CobornsDelivers. Williams is tasked with achieving the company’s desired sales and gross profit results, as well as maximizing produce and floral distribution.
Reporting to Vice President of Fresh Merchandising, Emily Coborn, Williams will be accountable for "aggressively leading innovation" in the produce and floral departments to create a shopping experience that reflects each retail divisions’ unique brand promises, according to a press release. Now also responsible for building and maintaining strong relationships with vendors and suppliers, Williams will provide direct supervision to the Produce and Floral Retail Supervisors and indirect supervision to Department Managers.
Williams holds a BA in Management from the College of St. Scholastica, and is currently serving on the Retail/Foodservice Board of Directors for United Fresh, as well as being an Appointee for the USDA Fruit and Vegetable Advisory Committee.
