Brian Cornell has resigned as executive vice president-chief marketing officer of Safeway Inc. so he can look for a chief executive post at another company.
Cornell leaves the supermarket chain on June 1. He has led Safeway’s marketing for the past three years, including its $100 million ad campaign to reposition the company under the tagline “Ingredients for Life.”
Those TV, print, outdoor and online ads broke in April 2005 at the same time that Safeway launched its Lifestyles store format with extensive perimeter departments including expanded natural and organic foods sections, full-service meat counters and bakeries, floral design centers and, in some stores, sushi bars and olive bars (PROMO Xtra, April 6, 2005). The chain has since converted or opened 751 stores under the Lifestyles format, and plans to convert another 275 and open 25 more Lifestyles stores this year.
Cornell “came to Safeway at a time of transformation, and has played a key role in our success,” said Safeway president and chief executive officer Steven Burd, in a statement. “His accomplishments include reorganizing and energizing our centralized marketing, merchandising and supply chain functions to improve their effectiveness … and building our brands.”
Burd also credits Cornell with improving Safeway’s ability to collect and use shopper data.
Cornell, who calls himself “a huge fan of the strategy, the brand and the organization,” will actively pursue a chief executive post. It’s unclear whether he wants to stay in the food business, or is looking more broadly.
Safeway’s marketing department will report to Burd until a new chief marketing officer is hired.
Safeway’s total sales rose 4.8% to $9.3 billion for the first quarter of 2007, up from $8.9 billion for the quarter last year. Same-store sales were also up 4.8% (including fuel sales).
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