C&S Wholesale Grocers announced the appointment of Bob Palmer as the company’s new CEO, replacing Mike Duffy who held that position for the past two years.
Palmer has more than 30 years of experience in the food industry and had retired from the company in 2019 as executive vice president and chief procurement officer but returned to take on the role of CEO.
“C&S has been a leader in the rapidly changing grocery industry for over 102 years. We will continue to drive innovation and adapt to the dynamic market conditions to better serve and support our customers,” said Rick Cohen, Chairman, C&S Wholesale Grocers. “These unique times have required us to refocus our efforts and priorities.”
“Bob is a highly valued leader that has led C&S through times of change with much success,” continued Cohen. “His unrelenting focus on customer service and innovative go-to-market strategies have helped us win in challenging times and will undoubtedly serve us well as we transform for the future.”
Related Article: Nielsen: Retailers Must Prepare for Change in Shopper Behavior
As CEO of C&S Wholesale Grocers, the largest wholesale grocery supply company in the US, Palmer is responsible for all aspects of the company’s strategy, growth plan, customer satisfaction, and day-to-day operations.
Palmer joined C&S in February 1986 as head buyer and served as the director of Procurement until 1995 which he was promoted to vice president. He was promoted to senior vice president of Non-perishable Procurement in October 1996.
Prior to joining C&S, Palmer worked for four years with Riverside Markets, a division of Penn Traffic Company in DuBois, Pa. He spent four years as a retail store manager within Alberstons South Division in Florida and Alabama.
In 2002, Palmer was named director emeritus of the Northeast Wholesale Food Distributors Association. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business management from Franklin Pierce College in Rindge, N.H.
C&S Wholesale Grocers, Inc. was founded in 1918 as a supplier to independent grocery stores. Now services customers of all sizes, supplying more than 7,700 independent supermarkets, chain stores, military bases, and institutions with over 137,000 different products.