CINCINNATI, OH - Kroger has appointed Alex Tosolini as the company’s new Senior Vice President of Business Development, effective November 3. He will report directly to Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen.
Tosolini, a 24-year employee with Procter & Gamble Co., spent a number of those years as Vice President of Global eCommerce (2010) and as Senior Vice President of Global eBusiness (2013). With Kroger ramping up its online retailing presence in recent months, can we expect to see further developments in that sector as Tosolini joins team?
According to a press release, Tosolini will be responsible for identifying, evaluating, and developing new opportunities that capitalize on Kroger’s powerful assets and contribute to the company’s continued growth and financial performance.
“Alex’s unique skills and insights, ranging from strategic planning to brand management to general management, will enhance our efforts to accelerate Kroger’s growth,” said McMullen. “Alex will be an outstanding addition to our leadership team.”
Last month, we reported that Kroger is testing online grocery shopping in Cincinnati. The program is currently only slated for employees at the Liberty Township Kroger Marketplace, and works similarly to Harris Teeter’s lucrative click-and-collect online ordering system.
Rachael Betzler, a spokeswoman for Kroger’s Cincinnati/Dayton Division, told the Cincinnati Business Courier that if the test is successful, the program could be expanded to other stores, and eventually other divisions.
The move to online grocery retailing also comes shortly after Kroger completed its $280 million purchase of Vitacost.com, an online vitamin retailer.
Despite Kroger’s increasing interest in eCommerce, the majority of our readers say that online grocery is not yet the way of the future, suggesting that there’s still a dedicated market for traditional brick-and-mortar shopping. 
With that said, it will be interesting to see how Tosolini's addition to Kroger’s executive team will pay off in terms of the retailer’s eCommerce business.
For more updates on Kroger’s entry into the online retail business, keep it here on AndNowUKnow.
