Stop & Shop Names New Chief Merchant

Stop & Shop has named Lee Nicholson as the grocer’s new executive vice president and chief merchant, effective at the start of 2025. He will be responsible for merchandising strategy, category management, promotional planning, and execution and pricing. 

Nicholson moves into his new position after serving as senior vice president of procurement at ADUSA Procurement. He has more than 20 years of experience at Ahold Delhaize USA including time as a grocery buyer and category manager at Stop & Shop. He also spent time at Walmart, Supervalu, and Winn-Dixie. 

“I’m excited about Lee returning to Stop & Shop and the experience he will bring as we continue to evolve our customer experience,” said Roger Wheeler, president of Stop & Shop. “Lee will carry forward the next phases of the large, multi-year price investments Stop & Shop is making, which is a key part of our commitment to strengthen our customer value proposition.” 

Nicholson said he is looking forward to returning to Stop & Shop.

“It’s a brand I know well and look forward to caring for in my new role,” he said. “It’s an exciting opportunity to leverage my experience, including the more than 20 years I’ve spent with Ahold Delhaize USA and its companies, to help drive forward Stop & Shop’s repositioning for future growth.”