Former Walmart Exec to Take the Helm of Save-A-Lot

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May 17, 2011

Supervalu named former Walmart executive Santiago Roces as the new CEO and president of Save-A-Lot, the grocer’s limited assortment deep discount chain.

Santiago Roces

Roces -- former senior vice president and general manager of Walmart's small format division -- replaces Bill Shaner, who has left the company.

Roces brings to Supervalu more than 20 years of experience in the grocery and food industry, as well as franchise development, and has “a proven track record for growing sales and driving new market development,” said Craig Herkert, president and CEO of Supervalu. "Santiago is a nice fit for our company and for Save-A-Lot. We believe he is the right individual to lead this organization forward and to help ensure we realize the aggressive growth plans that have been established."

The company previously announced it plans to double Save-A-Lot’s store count to more than 2,400 locations by the end of 2015.

Herkert said Roces has also has demonstrated leadership in driving private brands penetration and customer acceptance, “a critical part of the Save-A-Lot business model with nearly 80 percent of its products packaged under private label.”

Prior to becoming Walmart's senior vice president of its small format division, Roces held a variety of leadership positions at Walmart including senior vice president of new business development and customer experience, president and CEO of Walmart Korea, and chief merchandising officer of Walmart Argentina. He also has held leadership positions at PepsiCo and Carrefour.

"He is a very talented leader with a wonderfully diverse business background,” Herkert said. “His leadership, energy, and enthusiasm will be critical as we continue our journey to open more than a 1,000 Save-A-Lot stores in the next several years."

Commenting on Shanner’s departure and accomplishments at Save-A-Lot since leading the division since 2006, Herkert said: "We wish Bill well in all his future endeavors and appreciate his commitment to Supervalu for the past 27 years and more recently his leadership and guidance as we laid out an aggressive growth strategy for Save-A-Lot.”

Under Shaner’s leadership, Save-A-Lot increased its store count by 92 units last year.

SBD Views: Craig Herkert's selection of a former Walmart colleague with experience tailor made for driving growth at Save-A-Lot provides further support to our previously stated view that Save-A-Lot is a major growth engine for Supervalu with substantial upside for the company. -- John Failla for Store Brands Decisions

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