SALISBURY, NC - Ahold Delhaize USA announced that Keith Nicks, a recognized executive in the grocery retail industry and longtime leader in Ahold Delhaize USA companies, has been named Chief Commercial and Digital Officer. In his new and expanded role, Nicks leads commercial capabilities for the U.S. businesses, including private brands, sourcing and merchandising services, bringing them closer together with core digital capabilities like retail media and monetization, omnichannel marketing, product experience and design, and e-commerce fulfillment partnerships.

“By uniting leadership for commercial and digital, we continue to drive simplicity and effectiveness with teams focused on both strategy and value across the full commercial ecosystem,” said JJ Fleeman, CEO of Ahold Delhaize USA, in a recent press release. “Keith has extensive experience leading digital, e-commerce, category management, retail media and retail operations across a number of businesses, making him the right leader to carry our commercial organization forward. He is a trusted advisor, passionate about our business of selling groceries and is recognized throughout the organization for being a dedicated leader who drives innovation, performance and change, and I am excited about all he will bring to this role.”

Prior to this role, Nicks served as Chief Digital Officer, leading teams responsible for powering the technology and functionality of mobile applications, websites and click-and collect experiences for Ahold Delhaize USA brands, as well as data, analytics and insights services for the brands and third-party e-commerce fulfillment partnerships for ADUSA companies.

During his tenure in this role, Ahold Delhaize USA companies have driven significant online sales growth.

“I’m honored to take on this role leading a wider cross section of our teams focused on creating great experiences every day – whether that’s for customers in-store or online or our supplier partners,” said Nicks. “What I love about grocery is that it’s a people-first business with customers at the center. I’m looking forward to working with our Commercial and Digital teams – and all our partners – to leverage this customer first mindset to unlock new capabilities and value so that our mutual omnichannel businesses can continue to grow.”

A North Carolina native, Nicks started his career at Food Lion where he held positions of increasing leadership, including Category Manager, Director of Operations, Director of Marketing and Director of Loyalty and Digital Marketing. At Ahold Delhaize USA and predecessor support brands, he also served as VP, Customer Engagement and SVP, Digital, Personalization, Loyalty and Analytics.

Nicks earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He is based in Salisbury, N.C.

A top destination for talent, in 2025 Ahold Delhaize USA was named a Top Employer in the U.S. by the Top Employers Institute. The company also holds many prestigious designations such as Progressive Grocers’ Top 100 Food Retailers in North America and Built-In’s Best Places to Work in the technology sector. In addition, Ahold Delhaize USA associates are regularly recognized on lists for being top women in grocery and industry-leading emerging talent. Interested applicants can search open roles by visiting the Careers page of the Ahold Delhaize USA website.

TAMPA, FL - Stater Bros. Markets, the largest privately owned supermarket chain in Southern California, has expanded its long-term strategic partnership with IFCO, a global leader in reusable packaging solutions for fresh food. As part of the multi-year agreement, Stater Bros. will broaden its use of IFCO reusable packaging containers (RPCs) across a wider range of fresh fruits and vegetables. This close collaboration is designed to enhance operational efficiencies, boost sustainability efforts, reduce product shrink and food waste, and elevate the freshness and quality of fresh produce available in stores.

IFCO and Stater Bros. conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the retailer's fresh grocery supply chain, a press release stated. This process included in-depth assessments of stores and distribution centers, as well as consultations with key produce suppliers. Through close collaboration, opportunities were identified to improve product freshness, reduce costs, and optimize workforce efficiency.

Transitioning to IFCO RPCs from single-use packaging for items such as carrots, corn, stone fruits, potatoes, onions, tomatoes, and soft and wet vegetables ensures Stater Bros. has a safer, more stable and protective packaging solution during palletization, transportation and storage of fresh products. The switch has been well received by growers. Given the option, over 80% of Stater Bros. suppliers would choose IFCO RPCs to transport their fresh products.

Brian Sahargun, Sr. Manager of Produce at Stater Bros., highlights the value of IFCO’s support and the efficiency benefits of the IFCO’s circular economy business model: “We appreciate the close collaboration with the IFCO team and their commitment to providing the best possible packaging solution for our specific needs. As more of our fresh products are transported in IFCO RPCs, we can maximize the operational and sustainability benefits. Their durability makes it easier to securely stack, store and transport fresh products more efficiently. This is an exciting development, as shown by the positive response of our key suppliers in choosing to use IFCO RPCs to transport their fresh products.”

Jacob Cadwallader, Director of Produce at Stater Bros., emphasizes the positive impact on store operations and customer satisfaction: “As we continue to reduce single-use packaging in our stores, we’re changing our store environment. Our teammates will spend less time in the back handling packaging waste but more time in the store with our customers, which is where they prefer to be. Additionally, the highly ventilated and robust design of the IFCO RPCs ensures our products are kept fresher for longer, cutting down on shrink and waste. And it’s our customers who ultimately appreciate the results, which is consistently high-quality fresh produce in our stores.”

Jon Brooks, Vice President, Retail Sales at IFCO, sees the partnership as extremely future-oriented: “IFCO is proud to partner with Stater Bros. and support their pursuit of service excellence. Our circular economy pooling model, saves retailers time, space and effort all while reducing the environmental impacts of their supply chain.”

Stater Bros.’ core value is to provide Fresh. Affordable. Community First. grocery shopping every day, and this collaborative partnership with them highlights how IFCO’s solutions align with their mission by focusing on sustainable practices and operational excellence. It’s a partnership that underscores Stater Bros.’ dedication to serving its communities with integrity and innovation.