Acosta Group has named veteran consumer products executive Joe Mueller as chief retailer partnerships officer, a newly created position focused on strengthening the company’s relationships with retailers.
Mueller will work with leadership across Acosta Group’s Omnichannel Sales & Services organization to identify growth opportunities, deepen retailer collaboration and provide marketplace insights that can inform client strategies.
“Strong retailer relationships are fundamental to helping our clients grow,” said Mark Rahiya, group president of Omnichannel Sales & Services at Acosta Group. He said Mueller’s industry relationships and market knowledge will help the company uncover new opportunities and deliver stronger results for clients and retail customers.
Mueller joins the Jacksonville, Fla.-based sales and marketing services company after spending 35 years with Kellanova and Kellogg Co. He most recently served as vice president of industry and customer development.
During his tenure, Mueller managed several of the company’s largest customer businesses, developed commercial strategies across multiple retail channels and built partnerships with major retailers. He also worked closely with Acosta Group on retail execution, customer development and other growth initiatives.
Acosta said the newly created role reflects its continued investment in retailer relationships as brands and merchants contend with a more complex operating environment. The company plans to use Mueller’s experience to help improve collaboration between suppliers and retailers while identifying new ways to create value for shoppers.
Acosta Group’s portfolio includes Acosta, ActionLink, ADW, CORE Foodservice, CROSSMARK, Mosaic, Premium Retail Services and Product Connections.