Rite Aid tapped a former Wakefern Food Corp. executive as its chief merchandising officer and senior vice president.

In a Feb. 13 press release, the Philadelphia-based retail chain welcomed Bryant Harris. According to Rite Aid, he will “play a critical role in evolving our merchandising strategy to offer best-in-class product assortment that meets the changing needs of our customers.”

As CMO, Harris will oversee assortment, procurement, pricing, visual merchandising and store design, Rite Aid said. He’ll also work with store operations and marketing teams “to deliver customer-centric shopping experiences,” according to the chain.

Prior to joining Rite Aid, Harris was chief merchandising officer at Keasbey-headquartered Wakefern, where he “developed and executed a strategic roadmap that significantly enhanced the company’s merchandising effectiveness and overall performance,” the press release said.

According to Grocery Dive, Harris departed Wakefern in January 2024 after a four-year stint. His position at the cooperative was a newly created role that spanned product procurement strategy, in-store merchandising, pricing and promotion under the ShopRite, Price Rite Marketplace, The Fresh Grocer, Dearborn Market and Gourmet Garage banners.

His nearly two decades of retail experience also includes leadership roles at Save A Lot and Sam’s Club.

Joining amid a restructuring

Harris arrives at Rite Aid about five months after the company exited Chapter 11 with a reduced store footprint, decreased debt and new leadership. As part of the restructuring process, it named Matt Schroeder as its new CEO.

Since filing for bankruptcy in October 2023, Rite Aid has closed more than 500 pharmacies nationwide – including three dozen locations in New Jersey. According to its website, Rite Aid currently operates 1,252 stores in 15 states.

Schroeder commented, “As we continue to strengthen our business and accelerate our transformation plan, we are pleased to welcome Bryant to Rite Aid. As an accomplished leader driven by excellence, Bryant will be a great addition to the team to help further our mission to provide thoughtful, personalized experiences that support our customers’ health and wellness goals.”

Harris said, “I am excited to join Rite Aid to continue advancing the merchandising strategy that delivers a compelling product mix and a shopping experience that meets our customers’ expectations. I look forward to collaborating with the team and our suppliers to ensure we provide the products our communities need to live their healthiest life.”