Erik Lopez’s Post

Yesterday marks a significant milestone for me: one year at ALDI SÜD International Buying! 🎉 As I reflect on the past year, I'm grateful for the incredible opportunities and invaluable lessons learned along the way. Here are the three key insights that have defined my journey: 1. Embracing Change: In a dynamic industry like ours, being open to change is not just a skill; it's a mindset. Over the past year, I've learned the importance of adaptability and embracing new ways of thinking. Whether it's evolving market trends or internal processes, being flexible and open-minded has been key to navigating challenges and seizing opportunities. 2. Leadership Development: Working at ALDI SÜD International Buying has provided me with invaluable opportunities to hone my leadership skills. From leading teams to driving projects forward, I've learned that true leadership isn't just about delegating tasks; it's about empowering others, fostering collaboration, and inspiring positive change. Through mentorship and hands-on experience, I've grown as a leader and continue to strive for excellence in everything I do. 3. Building Partnerships: Collaboration is at the heart of success in the business world. One of my most significant learnings has been the importance of building strong partnerships both internally and externally. Whether it's collaborating with colleagues across departments or forming strategic alliances with suppliers and stakeholders, I've seen firsthand how effective partnerships can drive innovation, foster growth, and achieve shared goals. As I celebrate this milestone, I'm grateful for the experiences, challenges, and growth opportunities that have shaped me professionally. I look forward to continuing this journey with ALDI SÜD International Buying and embracing whatever the future may hold. Thank you to everyone who has been part of my journey thus far, and here's to many more milestones ahead! #WorkAnniversary #ALDISÜD #ProfessionalGrowth #Leadership

Leah was recently at our amazing client GPC Beverage's AOP (Annual Operating Plan) meeting & she couldn't help but notice that it seemed like practically everyone in the company had been invited. There were SO many people in the room! 🎉 Everyone in the company HAD been invited. 😎 Up until two years ago, the AOP meeting was only for senior leadership. They'd talk about how the company had performed over the previous year, what the major initiatives were for the year ahead. A speaker 🎤 would be brought in, & they'd take time for some professional development. Then a new CEO took the helm, and he wanted everyone at the company to be at that meeting. Even if it was a huge financial investment 💰 to the company. Even if everyone meant "everyone"—managers, team leads, truck drivers, warehouse personnel. The way he saw it, everyone in the company had contributed to the company's success. 🏆 Why wouldn't they be invited to a meeting where they could learn how successful they'd been, or what the company wants to accomplish next year? 💡 This is the meaning of inclusivity—that everyone at your company, no matter what their role or title is, gets the information, & gets the opportunity to be celebrated. LOVE IT. 👏👏👏 #LeadershipDevelopment #Inclusivity #Transparency #CelebrateEverythingWithEveryone

🚨 Brian Niccol named as the new CEO of Starbucks ☕️ Learn how Brian led the massive turnaround at Chipotle Mexican Grill and the principles he'll use to power the turnaround at Starbucks:

This presentation will be an amazing way to kick off the Category Management Association's 2024 conference! Be sure to join Russ Onish and Andrew McKeon to explore the power that the WHAT IF mindset can bring to your organization! #HereAtKraftHeinz #KraftHeinzProud #CMASIMA #CMAConference #catergorymanagement #categoryleadership #whatif

Here's a clip of my conversation with Greg Creed former CEO of Yum! Brands and the former CMO of Taco Bell. Without a doubt one of the most transformational leaders in both the food and marketing industries. Under his leadership, the Yum! Brands portfolio experienced exponential growth. In just five years, the number of stores surged from 43,000 to an impressive 50,000. Stock prices doubled, jumping from $50 to $100, while sales skyrocketed from 3% to an astounding 8%. Notably, Taco Bell alone saw its annual sales surge from $6 billion to a remarkable $10 billion. Throughout his career, Greg championed innovation across every facet of the business and achieved off-the-chart business growth by defying conventional marketing norms and actively nurturing a team of, in his own words, 'mavericks and misfits.' [TO WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW, CLICK ON THE LINK IN THE COMMENTS]. Insightful, full of wisdom and fun! #Marketing #Innovation #Culture #foodinnovation #foodindustry

Interested, like me, in how another type of leadership can impact both your (future) organisation and personal life in order to tackle the key challenges of today and tomorrow? Let’s have a chat at the first Regenerative Leadership Conference, where I will have the honor of engaging with speakers whom I greatly admire, as well as sharing concrete examples of the implementation of these principles at Nestlé Belgium & Luxembourg... and beyond! https://lnkd.in/e99XGhEg

If as a leader at work you've never gotten feedback about putting Pepsi in the vending machine at work, it's possible you could be missing out on much more that could improve your employee experience! Even with what seems like the simplest of changes... Keep employee moral soaring with HappyOrNot. Inquire within :) #happyemployees #happycustomers #employeefeedback #realtimefeedback #employeesurvey #smileyfeedback #feedback

Personalized reward claim rates are 3.5x higher than one-size-fits all 🔥 ...and yet only 22% of consumers report feeling satisfied with the level of personalization they receive 😶 Convenience Retailers have the opportunity to leverage *years* of Grocery & Restaurant learnings to accelerate digital success through delivering the right value at the right time to their customers 🤝 Can't wait to connect with colleagues and industry experts at Informa's Outlook Leadership Conference this week to discuss the latest trends in Convenience Retail! 🙌 Source: ADWEEK (link in comments)

Big news at Starbucks: Brian Niccol, the mastermind behind Chipotle Mexican Grill’s massive turnaround, has been named CEO, marking yet another leadership shift for the iconic coffee company. But who’s Brian Niccol? Why take a bet on him? Well, Brian knows how to power a turnaround. He’s taken Chipotle from $6B in market cap to well over $60B. And he’s done it by focusing on these three things: 🏔 Crafting a compelling vision  💼 Building the right organizational structure around it ⚙️ Holding everyone accountable to executing it Those are key ingredients in any successful turnaround, whether it's powered by queso or coffee. And Niccol’s knack for turning struggling companies into powerhouses is exactly what Starbucks needs to reignite its brand and drive future growth! #turnaround #leadership #CEOcoaching #careercoaching #Starbucks #Chipotle

Brian Niccol brings several important leadership lessons from his time at Chipotle, which he will likely apply at Starbucks: Turnaround Expertise: Niccol is known for successfully revitalizing Chipotle by improving food safety, rebranding the company, and driving digital transformation. His ability to lead a company through tough times and turn it around is a key leadership skill. Customer-Centric Approach: His leadership style is heavily focused on understanding and meeting customer needs. By keeping the customer at the center of business decisions, Niccol has been able to drive growth and maintain brand loyalty. Strategic Decision-Making: Niccol is known for making bold, strategic decisions that align with long-term goals, such as Chipotle’s emphasis on sustainability and ethical sourcing. His strategic mindset will be valuable as Starbucks navigates new challenges and opportunities. Good Luck Starbucks!!! #leadership #leadershiplessons