Client Stories

Dramatic sales growth to achieve industry leadership

Industry: Food Distribution
Company: Global Food Retailer
Business unit: U.S.-based supermarket chain
Executive: CEO
Team: CEO Leadership Team

Situation

The CEO of the division partnered with Gap International to create a sales-driven organization from one that had relied primarily on expansion and price competition to achieve growth.

He enrolled his team in a growth strategy that focused on same-store sales and had the team align the next level of leadership in their vision for the company. Leaders, in consultation with Gap International, increased their visibility with employees and engaged the entire organization in selling at all levels. The company implemented new store concepts and redesigns in key markets.

Progressive Grocer, the food industry's leading publication, recognized the company's dramatic increase in performance by naming it "Retailer of the Year."

Results

• The business became one of the most profitable, as a percentage of sales, in the industry and was recognized for doing "groundbreaking work."
• The organization effected a cultural transformation that resulted in greater alignment, speed and ownership.
• "We experienced a return that is at least five to 10 times that of our investment in the partnership with Gap International," the CEO said.