Loblaw Companies Limited Announces Promotion Of Mario Grauso To President Of Joe Fresh

TORONTO, July 21, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Loblaw Companies Limited (TSX:L), owner of the Joe Fresh brand, today announced the promotion of Mario Grauso to President of Joe Fresh. He was previously Chief Operating Officer of the brand.

Grauso continues to report to Joe Mimran, president of Joseph Mimran & Associates and creative director of Joe Fresh. In his new role, Grauso oversees business strategy, operations, marketing, international development, merchandising, sourcing and design functions at Joe Fresh.

The promotion is part of a company-wide management reorganization at Loblaw. As part of the changes, Executive Chairman Galen Weston has assumed the additional role of President of Loblaw, where he is now responsible for execution of the company's overall strategy and business performance. He takes on the role from Vicente Trius, who is exiting the company to return to his native Brazil.

"Since joining Joe Fresh in September 2013, Mario Grauso has managed the successful growth of Joe Fresh, in partnership with Joe Mimran. Over the past ten months, the brand has opened stores in South Korea and Saudi Arabia, with an extensive international rollout plan in place. Joe Fresh continues to solidify its U.S. presence and will launch e-commerce there next month. Mario is a proven leader in the fashion industry and I look forward to his continued guidance of Joe Fresh as it expands into a compelling global presence in specialty retail," said Weston.

Since May, Joe Fresh and its partners have opened retail stores in Seoul, South Korea; the Sahara Mall in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; and the Mall of Dhahran in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. A unit in the Mall of Arabia in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, is scheduled to open later this month. Joe Fresh partners are committed to opening over 140 stores in 23 countries over the next five years.

Prior to joining Joe Fresh, Grauso was president of Vera Wang Group. Earlier in his career he was President of Puig Fashion, the parent company of Carolina Herrera, Nina Ricci and Paco Rabanne.

About Joe Fresh

Founded in 2006, Joe Fresh is one of Canada's leading sources for modern style and accessible design, offering comprehensive lifestyle collections for men, women and children. Joe Fresh delivers quality and compelling value in categories spanning apparel, accessories, footwear and Joe Fresh Beauty® cosmetics. The brand's design vision is driven by Joe Mimran of Joseph Mimran & Associates, Creative Director of Joe Fresh, Home and Entertainment for Loblaw Companies Limited. In Canada, Joe Fresh products are available online and in more than 340 retail locations, including 16 freestanding and studio stores. In the United States, Joe Fresh operates 6 freestanding stores in New York, including a flagship in the landmark 510 Fifth Avenue building, and is also available in over 650 J.C. Penney stores. For more information, please visit joefresh.com.

About Loblaw Companies Limited (TSX:L)

Loblaw Companies Limited is Canada's food and pharmacy leader, the nation's largest retailer, and the majority unitholder of Choice Properties Real Estate Investment Trust. Loblaw provides Canadians with grocery, pharmacy, health and beauty, apparel, general merchandise, banking, and wireless mobile products and services. With more than 2,300 corporate, franchised and Associate-owned locations, Loblaw, its franchisees, and Associate-owners employ approximately 192,000 full- and part-time employees, making it one of Canada's largest private sector employers.

Loblaw's purpose - Live Life Well - puts first the needs and well-being of Canadians who make one billion transactions annually in the Company's stores.  Loblaw is positioned to meet and exceed those needs in many ways: convenient locations; more than 1,050 grocery stores that span the value spectrum from discount to specialty; full-service pharmacies at more than 1,250 Shoppers Drug Mart and Pharmaprix locations and more than 500 Loblaw locations; no-fee banking with PC Financial; affordable Joe Fresh fashion and family apparel; and three of Canada's top consumer brands in Life Brand®, no name® and President's Choice®. Through the PC Plus™ and Shoppers Optimum® loyalty programs, more than one in every three Canadians are rewarded for shopping with the companies. For more information, please visit loblaw.ca.

SOURCE Loblaw Companies Limited