Rising Stars 2023: Smith, Steele, and Soto
For the fourth consecutive year, Store Brands is celebrating those under the age of 40 who are rising through the ranks in the world of private label.
The past year has once again offered a host of challenges that required leadership along with new ways of thinking. From inflation to labor shortages and the need for additional manufacturing capacity, product suppliers and retailers alike are adapting to the new, ever-changing landscape. This year’s Rising Stars list offers insight into how a new crop of young talent in private label are pushing forward and continuing to innovate.
Today’s profiles include Laura Smith of Kroger, John Steele of Kroger, and Jose Soto of Topco Associates.
Laura Smith
The Kroger Co.
Senior Category Strategy Manager
Laura Smith has spent the past decade at Kroger developing, marketing and leading Our Brands in the market in an effort to provide customers with high quality products at an excellent value.
She oversees a team of category strategy managers and deploys ideation strategies, customer trend insight, processes and tactics that lead to best-in-class product development. Smith works across multiple brands and categories to influence product development for Kroger’s more than 3,000 grocery stores. Her dedication and passion for Kroger’s Our Brands drives its business forward, with distinctive new products that build customer loyalty and fulfill unmet needs.
Smith has worked cross functionally to build, execute and evolve overall departmental processes and guidelines and has been a key leader in training, development and problem solving. She has created efficient, powerful and easy to use tools to aid the team in moving faster, maintaining quality and solving problems quickly.
Lauded for her leadership skills, Smith is driven, ambitious, creative, an excellent communicator and shows great care about people and business. She is a strong builder of relationships, networking, and new ideas and can flex to different styles, various consumer needs and easily navigate through customer insights through a variety of lenses.
John Steele
The Kroger Co.
Director Our Brands, Centerstore
Since joining Kroger’s Our Brand team, John Steele has led the company’s acceleration initiative driving significant sales, units, margin and share increases across several categories. In only a short time working in private label, Steele’s colleagues said he has made contributions that have had a positive impact on growth. As a result he was promoted from acceleration lead to director of one of the largest private label center store portfolios in the U.S. retail market.
Steele took command of Kroger’s Our Brands Acceleration process, which explores every aspect of the private label category as part of a multi-disciplinary team. He led the team, added depth and thoroughness, and provided leadership that was motivational and inspiring. Since he took the leadership of this role, the team speed and thoroughness have been exponentially augmented.
José Soto
Topco Associates, LLC
Associate Program Manager
José Soto is a leader on Topco Associates’ Health and Wellness team, focusing on expanding the company’s immune health and influenza vaccination program for Topco Pharmacy members.
A key figure in this endeavor, Soto spearheaded the integration of an immune health food-as-medicine campaign. This approach not only elevated the program’s effectiveness, but also integrated a holistic shopping experience by incorporating a total store approach. Soto successfully influenced shoppers’ behavior, encouraging healthier shopping choices throughout the store.
Soto has also been instrumental in helping Topco’s member stores grow their 340B drug pricing program and other essential pharmacy services. Through his dedication to fostering growth and value for members, Soto has significantly contributed to Topco’s health and pharmacy success, boosting the organization’s reputation.
Soto’s leadership on the Health and Wellness team and dedication to member growth has been “transformative” by his colleagues, who praised his attention to detail, commitment to learning and tenacity in seeking solutions.