Sprouts Farmers Market Adds Former Kroger VP as New CMO

The newest veteran executive to be added to Sprouts Farmers Market’s team is Gil Phipps, a former Kroger VP.

Phipps has been added onto the company as its new chief marketing officer and senior vice president which took effect this Tuesday.

Phipps will report directly to Sprouts CEO Jack Sinclair and oversee the Phoenix-based grocer’s marketing, advertising, customer engagement and private label teams.

With over 20 years of experience, Phipp’s most recent position was at Kroger as vice president of branding and marketing.

“The experience Gil brings will be instrumental in shaping Sprouts’ long-term strategy to build brand awareness and loyalty with our core shopper, including strengthening and defining our private label business,” Sinclair stated.

Sinclair took the position fo CEO last summer. He said in October that he wanted to shed the $21 million the company spends every week on print advertisements.

“We spend the majority of our dollars on print advertising, which is an ineffective way to build our brand,” Sinclair said during the time. “We are not telling the brand story to the best of our ability.”

Disclaimer: We have no position in Sprouts Farmers Market Inc. (NASDAQ: SFM) and have not been compensated for this article.