Leading Executives in Health Food Stores
Jason Buechel
CEO (and VP, Amazon Worldwide Grocery Stores) , Whole Foods Market (Amazon)
CEO who has led Whole Foods’ post‑Mackey era; in January 2025 he also took charge of Amazon’s Worldwide Grocery Stores while remaining Whole Foods CEO, guiding record growth past 535 locations.
Jack Sinclair
Chief Executive Officer , Sprouts Farmers Market
Veteran grocer who repositioned Sprouts around accessible healthy eating, leveraging his Walmart/Safeway experience to drive sustained comp and footprint growth.
Sharon M. Leite
Chief Executive Officer , The Vitamin Shoppe
Returned as CEO in May 2025 after Kingswood Capital and Performance Investment Partners acquired the chain; known for modernizing the banner during her 2018–2023 tenure and accelerating omnichannel initiatives.
Michael Costello
Chief Executive Officer , GNC
Led GNC’s refocus on partnerships (e.g., GLP‑1 nutrition set) and balance‑sheet moves; cited frequently as CEO in 2024–2025 corporate communications.
website | Media | LinkedIn (company)
Kemper Isely
Chairman & Co‑President , Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage
Second‑generation leader of America’s largest family‑operated natural/organic grocer; continues to steer strong comps and earnings while upholding strict product standards.
Tony Antoci
Chief Executive Officer , Erewhon Market
Architect of Erewhon’s high‑end, wellness‑centric growth; unveiled the “Erewhon 2.0” expansion adding multiple L.A. stores in 2025.
Liz Zolcak
President , Fresh Thyme Market
First woman to lead the Midwest natural‑foods chain; elevated training and community programs and launched a first‑of‑its‑kind natural product advisor certification for store teams in 2025.
Krishnan (Krish) Srinivasan
Chief Executive Officer , PCC Community Markets
Co‑op CEO driving triple‑bottom‑line strategy, new store reopenings, and leadership hires (e.g., CFO Amy Chow) for the nation’s largest consumer‑owned food co‑op.
Scott Nash
Founder & Chief Executive Officer , MOM’s Organic Market
Founder‑CEO known for uncompromising ingredient standards (100% certified‑organic produce) and deep sustainability investments (e.g., solar), growing a leading Mid‑Atlantic organic grocer since 1987.
Dave Kauder
SVP, Retail (leads day‑to‑day operations) , New Seasons Market
Longtime operator tapped to lead day‑to‑day retail operations during 2025 leadership transition, guiding customer experience and store execution for the Pacific Northwest natural‑specialty chain.
Dorothy Carlow
Chief Executive Officer , Mother’s Market & Kitchen
Retail veteran leading SoCal health‑food mainstay; in 2025 rolled out the ‘High Performance Living’ supplement line and continued brand expansion under private‑equity ownership.
website | Email | LinkedIn (company)
Nick Green
Co‑Founder & Chief Executive Officer , Thrive Market
Co‑founder/CEO making healthy groceries more affordable online; in 2024 became the first online‑only grocer approved to accept SNAP EBT nationwide.
Sam Wolf
Founder & Chief Executive Officer , LuckyVitamin
Early e‑commerce pioneer in natural products; founder‑CEO who scaled the business from a family health‑food store, later partnering with TSG Consumer to accelerate growth.
website | PR | LinkedIn (company)
Tedd Handelsman
Owner & Operator , Better Health Market & Café
Michigan‑based owner expanding his family‑run health‑food chain and café concept, including its first out‑of‑state location (Toledo) in 2024.
Terry Brett
Founder & Chief Executive Officer , Kimberton Whole Foods
Founder‑CEO and champion of ‘truly local’ sourcing; honored as WholeFoods Magazine’s 2025 Retailer of the Year for community‑first growth in Pennsylvania.
Anthony Houghton
Incoming Group Chief Executive Officer (effective Oct 2025) , Holland & Barrett (UK)
Long‑time operator promoted to Group CEO effective October 2025, tasked with accelerating global health‑and‑wellness retail growth and digital transformation.
Emun Zabihi
Chief Executive Officer , iHerb
CEO leading one of the world’s largest online health‑and‑wellness retailers; 2025 moves include a new COO and continued global fulfillment expansion.
C.E. Pugh
Chief Executive Officer , National Co+op Grocers (NCG)
Heads the national purchasing and services co‑op for 165 food co‑ops (240+ stores), amplifying natural‑foods independents’ buying power and impact.
Emily Kanter
Chief Executive Officer & Co‑Owner , Cambridge Naturals (MA)
Second‑generation retailer and INFRA board chair who has grown a beloved supplements‑and‑organics concept while keeping strong community values at the core.
Summer Auerbach
Chief Executive Officer , Rainbow Blossom Natural Food Markets (KY)
Second‑generation CEO stewarding a 40‑plus‑year Louisville health‑food institution focused on standards, local vendors, and community wellness.
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