Houchens Food Group Inc. has appointed Brian Shillinglaw as chief operating officer (COO).
Shillinglaw brings more than 24 years of leadership experience in grocery retail, specializing in merchandising, operations and human resources. Throughout his career, he has held key operational roles at several grocery retailers, including Winn-Dixie, Southeastern Grocers, Rouses, Harris Teeter and Target Corp. His leadership spans managing store operations, overseeing large multi-state regions and developing growth strategies for independent grocers.
In his most recent role, Shillinglaw served as the leader of Seasons Kosher Supermarkets, the largest Kosher supermarket chain in the U.S., where he was instrumental in enhancing operational efficiencies and driving business expansion.
Additionally, as a managing partner of CTW, a consulting and management firm for independent grocers, he guided multiple chains in optimizing their P&L performance and long-term growth strategies.
Houchens Food Group President Greg Rush expressed his enthusiasm about Shillinglaw’s addition to the leadership team.
“Brian has a proven track record of building and supporting teams to achieve excellence in profitable operations,” Rush said. “His people-first approach to leadership is well-aligned with our HFG culture.”
Over the next several weeks, Shillinglaw will conduct a comprehensive visit across HFG’s 15-state operational footprint, meeting employee-owners and immersing himself in the company’s diverse operations. He will officially assume his COO responsibilities and direct reports beginning in October.
About Houchens Food Group
Houchens Food Group opened its first grocery store in 1917 in Glasgow, Kentucky. The company has grown to include more than 400 locations in 15 states, providing value as a local neighborhood market through grocery stores, convenience stores, hardware markets and quick service restaurants. Its network of in-house and franchised brands include IGA, Price Less, Crossroads, Food Giant, Slim Chickens, Subway and Sonic. Houchens Food Group is 100 percent employee-owned and a subsidiary of Houchens Industries.
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