Retail veteran executive Dan Croce has been named chief executive officer of Produce Junction, the 20-store produce and floral merchant with stores in Delaware (two), New Jersey (six) and Pennsylvania (12).
Croce most recently was senior VP-real estate for Sprouts Farmers Market, the specialty merchant he first joined in 2018, then as senior VP-East division.
In his new role, Croce will supervise all day-today operations for the family-owned business, which was founded in 1977 by Albert Gentile, who began selling produce from his pickup truck in Philadelphia. Gentile will become chairman of Produce Junction where his three children also hold executive positions. The company is based in Swedesboro, NJ where it also operates a 95,000 square foot distribution center.
“I am thrilled to return to my Delaware Valley roots,” Croce said. “This is really an exciting opportunity to help forge a growth plan and evolve an already successful company for the future.”
Croce began his career in high school working for A&P/Super Fresh in his native Wilmington, DE. After graduating from the University of Delaware, he joined A&P/Super Fresh full-time, staying for 11 years and rising to become a district manager. In 2005, he joined Acme Markets as division operations manager. In his 13 years with the Malvern, PA-based division he was promoted to director of operations, VP-sales support, VP-operations and VP-merchandising and marketing before being named president of Acme in 2015.