Grocery Outlet Holding Corp. Announces Chief Purchasing Officer Retirement
Rhea-AI Summary
Grocery Outlet (NASDAQ: GO) announced that EVP and Chief Purchasing Officer Steve Wilson will retire effective March 20, 2026 after 31 years at the company. Matt Delly, who joined last year as Chief Merchandising Officer, will become Chief Merchandising and Purchasing Officer and lead an integrated purchasing and merchandising organization.
The company said the integration aims to increase efficiency and strengthen performance; Mr. Wilson will support a staged transition to ensure continuity and preserve supplier relationships.
Positive
- Planned transition date: March 20, 2026
- Replacement promoted internally: Matt Delly to lead purchasing and merchandising
- Integration goal: increase efficiency and strengthen performance
- Continuity measure: retiring executive will work closely with leadership during transition
- Preserves supplier relationships built over 31 years
Negative
- Loss of a long-tenured executive: departure after 31 years may reduce institutional knowledge
- Consolidation risk: integrating purchasing and merchandising could challenge execution during transition
News Market Reaction
On the day this news was published, GO gained 0.32%, reflecting a mild positive market reaction.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.
Key Figures
Market Reality Check
Peers on Argus
GO is up 0.94% while key peers WMK, IMKTA, NGVC, DNUT, and VLGEA show gains between 1.36% and 3.55%. Despite multiple peers trading higher, the momentum scanner shows no sector-wide move, suggesting today’s modest uptick is more stock-specific than part of a strong, coordinated sector rotation.
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 28 | Conference participation | Neutral | +1.5% | CEO scheduled for Morgan Stanley consumer and retail conference fireside chat. |
| Nov 12 | Charity partnership | Positive | -0.8% | Holiday partnership with Feeding America targeting three million meals. |
| Nov 05 | Promotional campaign | Positive | -8.1% | Launch of holiday promotions and sweepstakes with significant advertised discounts. |
| Nov 05 | Earnings release | Negative | -0.5% | Q3 results with restructuring costs, net loss YTD and lowered guidance. |
| Oct 21 | Earnings date notice | Neutral | +0.5% | Announcement of Q3 earnings release and conference call schedule. |
Positive marketing and partnership news has previously seen mixed to negative price reactions, while earnings-related updates have produced relatively muted moves.
Over the last few months, Grocery Outlet has mixed signals: an earnings report on Nov 4, 2025 showed higher sales but weaker profitability and lowered guidance, followed by holiday promotions and a Feeding America partnership that did not sustain upside, with one event tied to an -8.05% move. Conference and earnings-call announcements produced small, mostly positive reactions. Today’s leadership transition and purchasing–merchandising integration fits into this period of operational realignment after restructuring and outlook tightening.
Market Pulse Summary
This announcement details the planned retirement of the long‑tenured Chief Purchasing Officer after 31 years and a consolidation of purchasing and merchandising under a single EVP. It follows a period marked by restructuring costs, tightened guidance, and operational updates. Investors may watch how the integrated structure affects margins, comparable sales, and execution, especially given prior disclosures about sales headwinds and the importance of the company’s buying model to its value proposition.
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
EVP Matt Delly to Lead Purchasing and Merchandising Functions
EMERYVILLE, Calif., Jan. 13, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Grocery Outlet Holding Corp. (NASDAQ: GO) (“Grocery Outlet” or the “Company”) today announced that Steve Wilson, EVP and Chief Purchasing Officer, will retire effective March 20, 2026, after 31 years of service. Industry veteran Matt Delly, who joined Grocery Outlet last year as Chief Merchandising Officer, will assume leadership over the Company’s purchasing and merchandising functions as its Chief Merchandising and Purchasing Officer. The integration of merchandising and purchasing operations under Mr. Delly’s leadership is expected to increase efficiency and strengthen performance as part of the Company’s strategic objective to drive execution at scale.
“Steve has been instrumental in shaping Grocery Outlet’s product and purchasing strategy and customer value proposition,” said Jason Potter, President and Chief Executive Officer of Grocery Outlet. “Among his many contributions, he has built an extraordinary buying team with deep expertise and the critical supplier relationships that are essential to support our unique buying model. We’re deeply grateful for Steve’s leadership over the past three decades, and we wish him and his family all the best in retirement.”
Mr. Wilson will work closely with the leadership team over the coming months to ensure a smooth and effective transition in support of the integration of the Company’s purchasing and merchandising functions.
“Combining our strong buying team with our new merchandising capabilities will advance our ongoing efforts to become a great selling organization,” said Mr. Potter. “Since joining Grocery Outlet last year, Matt has quickly proven himself as an exceptional leader and merchandiser, with the strategic rigor and operational discipline to improve efficiency today, while expanding our runway for tomorrow. I look forward to working with Matt and his newly integrated team as we build on and enhance the longstanding buying strength that truly differentiates Grocery Outlet, while driving better execution and increased support for our independent operators and our customers.”
About Grocery Outlet
Based in Emeryville, California, Grocery Outlet is a high-growth, extreme value retailer of quality, name-brand consumables and fresh products sold primarily through a network of independently operated stores. Grocery Outlet and its subsidiaries have more than 560 stores in California, Washington, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Idaho, Nevada, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Delaware, Kentucky and Virginia.
INVESTOR RELATIONS CONTACTS:
Ian Ferry
(510) 244-3703
iferry@cfgo.com
Ron Clark
(646) 776-0886
ron@ellipsista.com
FAQ
Who is retiring at Grocery Outlet (NASDAQ: GO) and when is the retirement effective?
Who will lead Grocery Outlet's purchasing and merchandising functions after the retirement?
What is Grocery Outlet's stated goal for integrating purchasing and merchandising (GO)?
Will Steve Wilson assist after announcing his retirement from Grocery Outlet (GO)?
Does the management change at Grocery Outlet (GO) affect supplier relationships?
When did Matt Delly join Grocery Outlet (NASDAQ: GO) before assuming the expanded role?
