FMI Honors Five Grocery Leaders in 2026 Store Manager Awards
FMI – The Food Industry Association has named five grocery leaders as recipients of its 2026 Store Manager Awards, recognizing store managers for operational excellence, leadership, customer service, innovation, and community involvement.
The winners were announced July 23 during a livestreamed awards ceremony. This year’s program honored four category winners and one People’s Pick recipient selected from 12 finalists and more than 110 nominations submitted by food retailers.
The 2026 category winners are:
- Category A: James Hensel, Oregon Dairy, Lititz, Pa.
- Category B: Wei Zheng, 99 Ranch Market, Chandler, Ariz.
- Category C: Mark Ferrari, QFC, part of The Kroger Family of Companies, Bothell, Wash.
- Category D: Kanchan Rijal, SPAR Express Paceville, St. Julians, Malta.
FMI also announced Ferrari as the 2026 People’s Pick winner after he received more than 10,000 votes from more than 16,700 ballots cast in an online public vote.
“Store managers are essential leaders in the food industry, combining business savvy, customer service and social skills to create a store environment where the local community finds the food they want and the connections they seek,” Leslie G. Sarasin, president and CEO of FMI, said in a statement.
Sarasin said the award recipients demonstrate leadership in store operations while serving their associates and local communities.
According to FMI, the annual awards recognize food retail store managers who demonstrate excellence in store operations, team leadership, customer service, innovation and community engagement. Food retailers nominate candidates each year, with finalists selected before winners are chosen across multiple store categories.
The 2026 awards program received more than 110 nominations, from which 12 finalists were selected.
The Store Manager Awards are presented with support from sponsor The Coca-Cola Company.