QFC has named a senior company executive to serve as president of the West Coast supermarket chain.
Brent Stewart, who previously served as vice president of merchandising for the Kroger-owned grocery store operator, assumed the top role in late December, according to the company. A QFC spokesperson announced Stewart’s appointment this week in a post on LinkedIn.
Stewart has worked for QFC since 1990, holding roles including district manager, director of operations and senior director of grocery, general merchandise and natural foods, according to the company. He became local manager for QFC’s West Region in 2012 and rose to the position of director of promotional planning for the region in 2014. Stewart began his prior role as vice president of merchandising for QFC in 2018.
“Brent’s passion for people and the QFC team has been a hallmark of his 34-year career with the organization,” Kenny Kimball, senior vice president of retail divisions at Kroger, said in a statement. “He’s a seasoned retail leader and operator who will continue [to] be a champion for the QFC Division while driving a positive customer and associate experience.”
Kroger acquired QFC, which runs 59 stores in Washington state and Portland, Oregon, as part of a transaction announced in 1998 under which it also took over Fred Meyer.
In July 2024, Kroger disclosed that it intended to sell all but five of QFC’s locations to C&S Wholesale Grocers as part of a divestiture plan it crafted in connection with Kroger’s ultimately unsuccessful effort to merge with Albertsons. The divestiture deal fell through in December when Kroger and Albertsons terminated their merger.
