Grocery Outlet Holding Corp. announced that Steve Wilson, Executive Vice President and Chief Purchasing Officer, will retire effective March 20, 2026 after 31 years with the company. Wilson built and led a buying team responsible for establishing critical supplier relationships and executing the Company’s unique purchasing model. To ensure continuity, industry veteran Matt Delly—who joined Grocery Outlet last year as Chief Merchandising Officer—will assume the combined role of Chief Merchandising and Purchasing Officer. Management expects this integration to streamline decision-making, improve inventory turn rates by leveraging unified data analytics, and deliver cost savings that support margin enhancement and growth at scale.

On February 12, 2026, Grocery Outlet will open its first store in Falls Church, marking the Company’s entrance into its sixteenth state. This milestone follows a disciplined rollout plan that has grown the store base to more than 560 locations across 15 states. Management projects that entry into the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area could unlock incremental annual sales of approximately $20 million per store, based on comparable market performance. The new location will offer name-brand grocery items and fresh products at prices 40% to 70% below conventional retailers, reinforcing Grocery Outlet’s value proposition in an underserved region and laying the groundwork for at least five additional Virginia openings over the next 12 months.

Grocery Outlet’s extreme-value model continues to resonate with budget-conscious consumers, particularly in high-cost markets and designated food deserts. The Company reported year-over-year comparable-store sales growth of 6.8% in its last reported quarter, driven by expanded fresh offerings and treasure-hunt merchandising events. Investors should note management’s guidance for full-year same-store sales growth of 5% to 7%, underpinned by new store productivity and ongoing operational efficiencies realized through integrated purchasing and merchandising functions.

In light of the leadership transition and geographic expansion, Grocery Outlet reaffirmed its fiscal 2026 targets, which include opening 40 to 45 new stores and achieving gross margin expansion of approximately 50 basis points. The Company expects capital expenditures of $70 million to $75 million, primarily allocated to new store openings and supply-chain enhancements. With a strong balance sheet and no significant debt maturities until 2028, management is positioned to invest in growth initiatives that support mid-teens annual store-level unit economics improvements and consolidate its position as a high-growth, extreme-value retailer.