Lidl has announced the appointment of a new chief executive in its US operation, with former Lidl Poland president Michal Lagunionek set to take the reins in June, according to reports.
Lagunionek replaces Johannes Fieber in the position, who has led Lidl's US business since 2018.
A Lidl US spokesperson told Supermarket News that the appointment of such a "high-level" executive as Lagunionek to the role is a "strong signal of Lidl’s long-term strategy in the US".
In a letter to Lidl employees, Fieber thanked Lidl's US workforce for its help in "bringing greater stability and food access to families" over a challenging year.
"Since joining Lidl US three years ago, I have had the distinct privilege of leading all of you, a team of extremely dedicated and talented professionals," he wrote. "I appreciate all of the extra hours you have put into your work, especially in the last year, during one of the most challenging periods in a generation."
Lidl's US Business
Lidl, which established its US headquarters in Arlington County, Virginia, in June 2015, and its first stores in 2017. It operates more than 140 stores across nine US States, chiefly along the east coast.
The discounter recently announced the opening of a new regional distribution centre in Cecil County, Maryland, last year, following a $100 million investment, which it said will 'serve as the backbone of Lidl's regional store network'.
New chief executive Lagunionek, who is a member of Lidl's international board, is the fourth individual to take the reins at Lidl US since it first outlined its Stateside plans back in 2013.
Former Lidl Ireland CEO Ken McGrath held the position between 2013 and 2015, before being replaced by another Lidl Ireland executive, Brendan Proctor, until mid-2018, when Fieber, the former CEO of Lidl Sweden, took charge.
Last week, Lidl announced that it was named a Top 3 Supermarket in the USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards for 'Best Supermarket' this year, beating out other retailers such as Publix, Trader Joe’s and Wegmans.
© 2021 European Supermarket Magazine. Article by Stephen Wynne-Jones. For more Retail news, click here. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
