HFG Welcomes Brian Shillinglaw as COO

Houchens Food Group, Inc. Appoints Brian Shillinglaw as Chief Operating Officer 

Houchens Food Group, Inc. (HFG)is pleased to announce the appointment of Brian Shillinglaw as Chief Operating Officer (COO), effective Monday, August 4th, 2025. 

Brian brings over 24 years of leadership experience in grocery retail, specializing in Merchandising, Operations, and Human Resources. Throughout his distinguished career, Brian has held key operational roles at renowned grocery retailers, including Winn-Dixie, Southeastern Grocers (parent company of Winn-Dixie, Harvey’s, and BI-LO Stores), Rouses, Harris Teeter, and Target Corporation. His leadership spans managing store operations, overseeing large multi-state regions, and developing growth strategies for independent grocers. 

In his most recent role, Brian served as the leader of Seasons Kosher Supermarkets, the largest Kosher supermarket chain in the United States, where he was instrumental in enhancing operational efficiencies and driving business expansion. Additionally, as a managing partner of CTW, a consulting and management firm for independent grocers, he successfully guided multiple chains in optimizing their P&L performance and long-term growth strategies. 

Brian was born and raised inCarolina and graduated from the University of South Carolina with a Bachelor of Science degree. 

Greg Rush, President of Houchens Food Group, expressed his enthusiasm about Brian's addition to the leadership team: "Brian has a proven track record of building and supporting teams to achieve excellence in profitable operations. His people-first approach to leadership is well-aligned with our HFG culture." 

Over the next several weeks, Brian will conduct a comprehensive visit across HFG's 15-state operational foot print, meeting employee-owners and immersing himself in the company's diverse operations. He will officially assume his COO responsibilities and direct reports beginning October 2025. 

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