Tony Hoggett, the Amazon senior vice president overseeing the company’s worldwide grocery stores business, is leaving the tech giant as it navigates the challenging retail segment. Having joined Amazon in January 2022, Hoggett played a crucial role on the senior leadership team, working closely with CEO Andy Jassy and other top executives. He was responsible for bringing together and managing Amazon’s various grocery businesses, including Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, Amazon Go, and grocery partnerships. During his tenure, he introduced new store formats, closed some stores, paused and restarted expansion, and shifted away from the “Just Walk Out” checkout-free technology in large format Amazon Fresh stores.
Hoggett’s last day at Amazon will be on Nov. 1, 2024, as indicated in an internal email viewed by GeekWire. The company is currently working on a succession plan, with more details expected to be revealed in the coming weeks. In the interim, his direct reports, including Whole Foods CEO Jason Buechel, Amazon Fresh VP Claire Peters, and Worldwide Grocery Product and Technology VP Anand Varadarajan, will report to Doug Herrington, the CEO of Worldwide Amazon Stores. Hoggett expressed on LinkedIn that it was time for the next step in his career, while conveying gratitude to his colleagues for their support and friendship. He remains optimistic about Amazon’s efforts to enhance the grocery shopping experience for customers and believes the teams will continue the momentum in his absence.
Amazon has been striving to find a successful formula in the grocery segment over the years with varying results. Hoggett’s leadership saw the company experiment with new store concepts, adjust its expansion strategies, and transition away from certain technologies. Notably, Amazon announced a pilot of a small-format store concept adjacent to a Whole Foods Market in Chicago, separate from the existing store. Since acquiring Whole Foods in 2017 for $13.7 billion, Amazon has been working to integrate the grocery chain into its operations and expand its presence in the industry.
Recent departures from Amazon, including Jon Jenkins, who led the Just Walk Out technology business and joined Lime as their chief technology officer, have been noted alongside Hoggett’s exit. Brittain Ladd, a strategy consultant who worked on the global expansion of Amazon Fresh, had predicted Hoggett’s departure, criticizing the approach being tested in Chicago as an expensive workaround. Ladd emphasized the issue of lost sales due to Whole Foods’ decision not to stock traditional consumer packaged goods. Amazon confirmed Hoggett’s departure in a statement, praising his leadership in advancing the grocery business and noting the strong team he leaves behind to drive further improvements in simplifying, speeding up, and making grocery shopping more affordable for customers.
Hoggett’s departure marks a continuation of executive changes at Amazon as the company evolves its strategies and operations in the competitive retail landscape. His experience and contributions to Amazon’s grocery businesses have been significant, with his departure leading to a new leadership structure to oversee these critical operations. The company’s ongoing efforts to enhance the grocery shopping experience, streamline operations, and drive innovation in the industry will continue with the existing team and new leadership in place. Amazon remains focused on meeting the evolving needs of customers in the grocery sector while adapting to market trends and competition.
