Dive Brief:

• SpartanNash has hired David Petko as senior vice president and chief supply chain officer, the grocer and wholesaler announced Tuesday.
• Petko, who previously served in posts including senior vice president of supply chain for C&S Wholesale Grocers during more than 11 years with that company, will oversee a range of logistics-related functions for SpartanNash, including warehousing, procurement and inventory control. Petko will report to Tony Sarsam, SpartanNash's president and CEO.
• Petko is arriving at SpartanNash as the company gears up to invest in its business after improving its profits and paying down a substantial portion of its long-term debt during the pandemic.

Dive Insight:

In the press release about Petko's appointment, SpartanNash noted that its new executive would be responsible for improving efficiency and cutting costs across the company's supply chain and distribution operations while expanding national distribution capabilities.

"His proven track record of transformational leadership, improved customer and associate satisfaction and driving top-line sales growth and bottom-line cost savings will be an asset to our organization," Sarsam said in a statement.

In addition to heading supply chain functions for C&S, Petko served in a variety of posts including regional vice president of operations and general manager of two of the company's facilities. Before joining C&S, Petko worked for shipping company DHL Express.

Petko's arrival at SpartanNash continues a flurry of recent changes in the company's executive ranks. In March, the grocer named Jason Monaco as chief financial officer and promoted Todd Riksen to vice president and corporate controller. SpartanNash also announced last month that Chairman Dennis Eidson will retire in May.

Sarsam told investors during an earnings call in November that he intended to make substantial changes to the way the company handles its distribution and logistics operations as part of a strategy "to unlock the true potential of our organization."

Noting that SpartanNash's "financial results have underwhelmed in recent years," Sarsam, who took over as CEO in September after running milk company Borden Dairy, said his experience managing logistics in the food industry would serve as a guide as he looked turn the company into a "world-class operator and one that can deliver on sustainable growth over the long term."

In February, SpartanNash reported that it generated net sales of $9.3 billion during 2020, but expected that figure to decline to between $8.8 billion and $9 billion in 2021. The company also said it expects earnings to decline this year.