The Vitamin Shoppe promotes Gooch to quality, commercialization VP role
The Vitamin Shoppe has promoted one of its own. The Secaucus, N.J.-based retailer has named Day Gooch vice president of quality and commercialization, overseeing the operational, scientific and regulatory, and commercialization efforts of its private brands.
A pharmacist by training, Gooch will oversee new manufacturer sourcing, strengthen execution with existing manufacturers, lead scienfic and regulatory functions for private and vendor brands, and engage with industry experts and associations, the company said. Gooch will work with the company’s merchandising, inventory planning and supply chain teams as The Vitamin Shoppe targets enhancements to its product lifecycle management and sales and operations planning processes with a focus on improved innovation and speed to market.
Most recently, Gooch was vice president/general merchandise manager for the retailer. His new role will see him reporting to Andy Laudato, executive vice president and COO, and working closely with vice president and general manager of private brands Tom Merrihew.
“As we continue to build on our momentum into 2021, the leadership team identified key opportunities for growth and important ways to strengthen our organization,” said Sharon Leite, CEO of the The Vitamin Shoppe. “One of our top strategic priorities is accelerating the performance of our Private Brands business, which serves as a crucial differentiator in the marketplace and contributes substantially to our margin strength and profitability. We are fortunate to have both Day Gooch and Tom Merrihew, two of our most experienced leaders, come together to build on our recent Private Brands achievements. The division developed and launched over 175 new SKUs in 2020 alone and we look forward to intensifying our focus on this business in collaboration with key strategic partners.”
Gooch has four years of senior merchandising experience under his belt, having led both the VMS and sports nutrition divisions, most recently as GMM. Previously, he has held roles at Walmart and Sam’s Club, including pharmacy district manager, senior manger of health and wellness recruiting, senior buyer for health and beauty aids and senior buyer for health and wellness.