SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. — Stater Bros. Markets, Southern California’s largest privately owned supermarket chain, announced a leadership transition that will see president and chief operating officer Greg McNiff appointed chief executive officer and president later this month. Current CEO and chairman of the board Pete Van Helden will remain with the company as executive chairman.
The appointments, effective September 29, 2025, place all functional areas of the company under McNiff’s leadership. Van Helden, who has led Stater Bros. since 2016, will continue to oversee the board and remain active in the company’s philanthropic arm, Stater Bros. Charities.
“I’ve worked with Greg for many years, and due to his industry knowledge and fit in Stater Bros.’s culture, I can’t think of a better leader for the company’s day-to-day operations into the future,” Van Helden said. “While I’ll be stepping back from the company’s everyday operations, I’ll maintain an active role in the company as Executive Chairman while Greg continues to build on the strong foundation that we helped establish together.”
McNiff brings 44 years of experience in the supermarket industry, with 33 of those spent in Southern California. He began his career in 1981 as a courtesy clerk at Albertsons and advanced through roles spanning operations, marketing, and merchandising. In 2016, he was named division president of Albertsons’ Portland Division.
He joined Stater Bros. in 2019 as president and added the role of COO in 2022, where he has guided marketing, retail, and distribution toward greater efficiency and collaboration. McNiff holds a business management degree from California Coast University and is a graduate of the USC Food Industry Executive Program. His industry leadership includes serving as president of the Western Association of Food Chains and receiving The Illuminators Torch Award in 2019 for contributions to food industry education. He currently leads the Food Industry Circle for City of Hope.
Van Helden joined Stater Bros. in 2013 as president and COO after a long grocery career. He was named CEO in 2016 by the late Executive Chairman Jack H. Brown and became chairman of the board in 2022. As executive chairman, Van Helden will continue to guide board activities while leading Stater Bros. Charities.
With nearly 170 stores and 18,000 employees, Stater Bros. has built its reputation on quality, especially its meat department, and on its deep ties to the Southern California communities it serves. The company remains committed to its mission of delivering “Fresh. Affordable. Community First.”
The leadership changes mark a new chapter for the grocer as it balances its longstanding traditions with a forward-looking approach under McNiff’s direction.
