Foodstuffs North Island has named Stewart Smith as the company’s new COO, effective November 16.

Smith will lead Foodstuffs North Island’s core operations, including supply chain, property, wholesale, customer service, and safety and wellbeing divisions.

He transitions from his current role as CEO at logistics firm Team Global Express New Zealand, where he oversaw business transformation and turnaround operations.

Before leading Team Global Express, Smith held senior positions at major retail groups including The Warehouse Group, Nisa Retail, and Tesco. 

During a nine-year tenure at Tesco, his responsibilities spanned commercial strategy, general merchandise, food sourcing, international market expansion, and procurement performance.

Foodstuffs North Island CEO Chris Quin said that the creation of the COO position reflects a shifting operating landscape driven by customer demand for value and efficiency across the supply chain.

“Foodstuffs is operating in a rapidly changing environment, with customers expecting value, convenience and great service, while our members and suppliers are navigating increasing complexity across the food and retail system,” said Quin.

“We’ve created the COO role to bring a stronger focus across the operational parts of our business and make sure we continue to build the capability, resilience and efficiency we need for the future.

“Stewart brings an exceptional mix of retail, commercial, supply chain and transformation experience. He has led businesses through significant change, understands the importance of strong teams and has a focus on delivering for customers,” he added.

Smith relocated to New Zealand in 2019.