BOISE, Idaho — Former PepsiCo executive Jennifer Saenz has been named executive vice president and chief merchandising officer of Albertsons Cos. She is responsible for all areas of merchandising, including own brands. She will also be responsible for strengthening the company’s relationships with its brand partners.

Saenz reports to president and chief executive officer Vivek Sankaran.

“We’re excited to welcome Jennifer to the Albertsons team,” says Sankaran. “A commitment to serving our customers with a broad and differentiated assortment of products is a key aspect of our transformation strategy. Jennifer’s extensive global industry experience and proven track record of driving growth through marketing, analytics and product innovation, grounded in a deep understanding of the consumer, will allow her to make significant contributions to our business and elevate the Albertsons brand for our customers, brand partners and associates.”

Saenz, 43, held roles of increasing responsibility at PepsiCo starting in 2005. From 2009 to 2015 she held a number of brand and customer marketing positions within Frito-Lay. From 2015 to 2019 she was chief marketing officer of PepsiCo Foods North America, where she accelerated growth and drove innovation for the $16 billion snacking portfolio. In 2019, she became global chief marketing officer and president of global foods, with responsibility for a $30 billion portfolio.

Albertsons is “further strengthening its position as an industry leader focused on deepening its relationship with customers,” she says.