Women Leading the Way in Produce

January 21, 2025 | 3 min to read

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Summary

Melissa Kenny, executive vice president of the Kenny Family ShopRites, reflects on her successful farm tour program, created to connect customers with local produce. Despite skepticism from colleagues about spending significantly for tours to witness corn growth, it sold out, showcasing the community's enthusiasm for fresh food sources. This initiative symbolizes the increasing influence of women, like Kenny, in supermarket leadership, as Produce Business highlights the passion and insights of seven female executives in the industry.

Seven Supermarket Executives Share Their Stories

She’s worked in retail since 14 when her father purchased the first of what has grown to six ShopRite stores, also known as the Kenny Family ShopRites of Delaware. Yet one of Melissa Kenny’s favorite places is in the field — literally.

“We started a farm tour program in the early 2000s, chartering two big buses and putting an ad out for our customers to sign up for the free tour,” says Kenny, executive vice president. “I remember one of my operations bosses saying, ‘Let me get this right, Melissa. You want to spend thousands of dollars to put a bunch of customers on buses and drive them to southern Delaware in July to watch corn grow?’ Yes, that was the plan.

“It worked; we sold out and had wait lists. We visited mushroom houses, cabbage fields, and peach orchards, to name a few. Seeing our customers so engaged and enchanted to see where some of the produce in our departments was harvested is something that has always stuck with me and inspired me.”

More women, like Kenny, are moving into roles as grocery retailer and fresh produce executives. Produce Business spoke to seven female retail supermarket executives to uncover their stories. Here, we share their passion, inspiration and advice for women who follow in their footsteps.