Three New Appointments to Executive Team at Georgia Main Food Group

Palle Knudsen has accepted the role of Vice President, Retail Operations at GMFG. After an impressive 34-year career at London Drugs that included leading a team of six District Managers responsible for more than 80 stores across four Provinces, Knudsen joined the GMFG team a year ago on a temporary assignment as Senior Director Retail Operations. Transitioning to a permanent, full-time employee now allows Knudsen to build on the many successes he has already achieved with Georgia Main during a relatively short timeframe. Knudsen now transitions into this permanent VP leadership position where he will continue to be responsible for managing the operations of 21 IGA stores, eight Fresh St. Market locations and the company’s first-ever Meiga Supermarket. His extensive experience alongside his unwavering commitment to continuous learning are invaluable assets to the GMFG Executive Team.

Stefan Guminski has been appointed Senior Director, Store Development, Design, and Innovation. Guminski joins the Executive Team after a successful 30+ year career in the grocery industry with 23 years at GMFG. He has always had an interest in the design and building of a grocery store and has singularly expertly managed this core function of our business. While the draw of the new builds for new stores is always there, Guminski is dedicated to the imperative maintenance, repairs, and replacements required across the entire organization. His deep appreciation and excellence in retail support and extensive experience make him an ideal fit in this new role. Known for his strong work ethic and keen insight into store operations, Guminski’s leadership has propelled him to the executive level, where he will contribute significantly to the company’s ongoing growth and innovation strategies.

Kristine Smith has joined the GMFG Executive Team as Senior Director, Fresh Programs. Smith has an extensive 37-year career within the grocery sector serving in countless customer facing and managerial roles for GMFG including owning and operating successful GMFG grocery stores. In May 2015, Smith joined head office as the Category Manager of Bakery Operations and in 2017 she moved to the Category Manager of Deli Operations. After seven successful years in the Category Management role, Smith was promoted to the Director of Fresh Programs in 2022 and in 2025 she became the Senior Director of Fresh Programs. With her vast retail knowledge and experience in the Fresh departments combined with her unwavering commitment to customer service, Smith has become an invaluable member of the Executive Team, contributing her expertise to GMFG’s continued success.

“On behalf of the entire Georgia Main Food Group team, we would like to extend our congratulations to all our new appointments,” said Brandt C. Louie, Chair, Georgia Main Food Group. “We believe we have put together a talented leadership team that will help drive our continued innovation in the grocery industry in British Columbia.”

-30-