Next-gen takes charge to expand supermarket family business

Family-owned supermarket chain Giant Eagle has appointed fourth-generation Laura Shapira Karet as chief executive, as the company looks to expand operations to more parts of the US.

Karet, who was so far the chief strategy officer and senior executive vice president, will be succeeding her father David Shapira to the role, who will step down to become executive chairman of the Pennsylvania-based grocery business.

The move comes as Giant Eagle, which currently operates in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia and Maryland, wants to extend its presence in other states, according to a company statement.

Along with Karet, who worked at Sara Lee and Procter & Gamble prior to joining the family business, non-family John Lucot has also been named the group president.

“The board has unanimously approved Karet’s and Lucot’s new roles based on their track record of leadership and innovation, as well as their strong executive and personal qualities,” said Shapira in the statement.

Founded by five families in 1931, descendants of all the founding families are still actively involved in the $9.3 billion (€6.9 billion) business, which was one of CampdenFB’s top 100 family businesses in North America. The company, still fully owned by the families, started off with a single grocery store and today operates more than 200 supermarkets and convenience stores in the US.