WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — Krasdale Foods, a 110-year-old, privately owned company providing grocery distribution, merchandising, and marketing to independent grocery store owners, has announced that Dennis Wallin, the company’s longtime head of retail development has been promoted from vice president to executive vice president of Alpha 1 Marketing, Krasdale’s merchandising and marketing affiliate.
Wallin, who joined Krasdale in 1991, will continue to serve as the company’s eyes and ears on the street, regularly visiting with store owners and scouting neighborhoods across the tri-state area and Florida to understand the competitive landscape and identify new opportunities.
“Dennis has an encyclopedic knowledge of the independent grocery space,” said Krasdale President and COO Steven Silver. “Over the past 28 years, he has built deep relationships with our customers and their families. We are grateful to have him on our team and know that he will continue to drive growth for both our customers and the company.”
During his 50+ year career, Wallin has worked in both in-store operations and development. He began his career at 16, with Co-oP Supermarkets, where he remained for 25 years. Wallin initially joined Krasdale as a retail counselor and later took over as director of operations at C-Town, before transitioning into business development.
“Dennis always puts the customer first,” said Thatcher Krasne, President and CEO of Alpha 1 Marketing. “He goes above and beyond to make sure our customers are well-positioned for growth. We are proud to have him representing us in the field.”
On any given day, Dennis spends most of his time visiting customers at their stores, making sure they have all the tools they need to thrive.
“Our goal is to make sure our store owners are successful,” Wallin said. “One of the things I like to do is to listen and find ways in which we can help. If something isn’t working, we’ll figure out a strategy. It feels good to identify ways to make our store owners more successful, like instant gratification.”
Wallin was instrumental in helping the company expand into Florida. The first person to hit the ground in the region, Wallin surveyed and identified optimal locations. Fifteen years later, Krasdale has over 50 banner stores in Florida, with seven more expected to open in the coming months. The brand’s largest banner in the state, Bravo, continues to outperform in the market even as new entrants move in and competition increases. Likewise, Wallin remains a key force in the region, working closely with owners to optimize store layouts and identify prime areas for expansion.
For more information about Krasdale, please contact Erin Mandzik at 862-246-9911 or emandzik@jconnelly.com.
About Krasdale
Krasdale is an independent, privately-owned grocery distribution, merchandising, and marketing services company. For 110 years, Krasdale has supplied independent food markets with all the tools they need to succeed, helping to build and sustain multiple generations of successful enterprises. With its base of operations in New York, Krasdale has spread throughout the Northeast and Floridawith store banners that include: C-Town, Bravo, Aim, Market Fresh, Shop Smart Food Markets and Stop 1 Food Mart.
