Last updated on March 25th, 2021
Kansas City, Kansas-based Associated Wholesale Grocers (AWG) has realigned its real estate team in order to continue accelerating its identification and offerings of growth opportunities for its member retailers. Emile Breaux, SVP-regional supply chain operations, assumed leadership of AWG’s real estate team Jan. 31, in addition to his current responsibilities. Breaux is working directly with David Smith, president and CEO, on all real estate matters and continues to report to Dan Funk, chief operations officer, on all other supply chain and division responsibilities.
In his new role, Breaux will be setting overall strategy for the real estate team and will be working with Smith to strengthen AWG’s quality of work in providing vital real estate services to all AWG retailers and seizing opportunities to support AWG’s membership with more profitable growth opportunities, the company said.
Breaux has 25-plus years of experience with independent retailers.
Jeff Olson, VP of real estate, will continue to lead the day-to-day transactional activities of the real estate team and will work closely with Breaux and the development teams on current and future projects.
“Our full focus is to navigate successfully through the crowded and complex marketplaces where our members operate to find high-quality, long-term growth opportunities,” Breaux said.
AWG’s mission is to provide its member retailers all the tools, products and services they need to compete favorably in all markets served. The real estate realignment will allow AWG to have robust real estate and development offerings that provide its member retailers what they need for their business to thrive, including the spectrum of market research, store improvements and new store development, all at the lowest possible cost.
AWG is the nations’ largest cooperative food wholesaler to independently owned supermarkets, serving more than 1,100 member companies and more than 3,000 locations throughout 28 states from eight full-line wholesale divisions.
