Tony Hoggett, the Senior Vice President in charge of Amazon’s worldwide grocery stores business, is leaving the company after joining in January 2022. His last day will be November 1, 2024. At Amazon, Hoggett oversaw all of the company’s grocery businesses, including Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, Amazon Go, and grocery partnerships. He served on the senior leadership team, or S-team, meeting regularly with Amazon CEO Andy Jassy and other top executives. Hoggett’s departure comes as Amazon continues to try and find success in the competitive retail segment, with the company working on a succession plan for his role.
Hoggett’s direct reports, including Whole Foods CEO Jason Buechel and Amazon Fresh VP Claire Peters, will report to Doug Herrington, CEO of Worldwide Amazon Stores in the interim. In a LinkedIn post, Hoggett expressed gratitude for his time at Amazon and optimism for the future of the company’s grocery efforts. Amazon has been experimenting with various store formats, expansions, and technologies in an effort to improve the grocery shopping experience for customers. Hoggett’s departure adds to a list of recent exits from Amazon, including Jon Jenkins, who led the Just Walk Out technology business.
Amazon acquired Whole Foods in 2017 for $13.7 billion and has been working on integrating the grocery chain into its operations. The company recently announced a pilot of a small-format store concept next to a Whole Foods Market in Chicago, separate from the main store. Hoggett’s departure follows speculation about the effectiveness of this new store concept and concerns about lost sales due to Whole Foods’ decision to not stock traditional consumer packaged goods. The departure of Hoggett, along with other recent exits, signals a period of change within Amazon’s grocery business, with the company focused on ensuring continuity and progress in his absence.
A strategy consultant and logistics/supply chain leader who worked on the global expansion of Amazon Fresh during his time with the company predicted Hoggett’s departure. He expressed concerns about the approach piloted in Chicago being an expensive workaround to larger issues in the grocery business. Amazon spokesperson confirmed Hoggett’s exit, thanking him for his contributions to the grocery business and the impact he has made. The company remains committed to making grocery shopping simpler, faster, and more affordable for customers. As the search for a successor continues, Amazon is looking to build on the progress made under Hoggett’s leadership and continue innovating in the competitive grocery retail sector.
