The body representing independent grocers including the IGA supermarket franchise has appointed former Coca-Cola Amatil boss Warwick White as its first chief executive.
Stone Advisory, which represents IGA and other independent retailers, has hired Mr White as its members seek to compete more strongly with local supermarket giants Woolworths and Coles, as well as relative newcomer Aldi.
Mr White says the independents are well placed to "accelerate change" as they seek a bigger share of Australia's $90 billion supermarket industry.
"But we have to realise a unified approach is much stronger," he said.
Mr White takes the reins at a time of change for the traditional grocery sector.
This week, the online grocer Aussie Farmers Direct, gave up its decade-long battle with the supermarket giants, calling in the administrators on Tuesday after being ultimately outmuscled and undercut on price, convenience and investment.
Mr White, a former chair of the Australian Food and Beverage Council said the competitive nature of grocery retailing is changing at a fevered pace.
"And with the huge amounts of personalisation going on, unless the IGA network gets ahead of those changes they wont be successful over time," Mr White said.
With 1,400 independently licensed grocery stores with equally diverse locations, perspectives and customer bases, Mr White faces a challenge to ensure the IGA network can speak with one voice on the sector's big issues.
"I'm very early in my job, so I'm not going to articulate what my priorities are right now, but what's required is someone to come in - and I won't say herd the retailers - but quickly get unanimity to invest and take some risk," he said.
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