A chance encounter at a college career fair led Jenn Hahn into the Aldi training program, where she learned the store from the floor up and ran multiple locations at 22. That early trial by fire shaped a leadership style built on humility, directness, and full accountability—traits she later used to launch J Recruiting Services, a national search firm serving independent grocers, wholesalers, and CPG partners.

We unpack how Jenn scaled from “laptop at the kitchen table” to a sophisticated team by refusing to post and pray, demanding premium candidate and client experience, and hiring for strategic thinking over bullet points. She shares the operating system behind balancing CEO life and motherhood: life-first calendars, clear role definition, and trusting a team empowered to tell the boss to step back. We also dive into why intentional networking through WGA, NGA, and peer communities is not optional—it is how opportunities, mentors, and great hires find you.

On talent trends, Jenn flags where grocery is investing now: supply chain roles across food safety and logistics, the tech and AI layers that power them, and renewed focus on operations and the in‑store experience. E‑commerce matters, but connection at the register still wins loyalty, especially for Gen Z and millennials. The strongest candidates show resilience, business acumen, and comfort using AI and data to run better stores, not just better spreadsheets. Her closing advice

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National Grocers Association Foundation
Welcome to "Grocery From Her Seat," the WGA podcast offering a unique perspective on the independent

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Grocery From Her Seat, Insights for Independent Grocers has been selected as one of the Top 35 Independent Women Podcasts on the web.
https://podcast.feedspot.com/independent_women_podcasts/

Host: Kristin Popp
Production: Rachael Melot, SWA.Marketing

The aisle might look calm, but the work behind it moves fast. We sit down with Emily Detwiler, Vice President of AWG Brands at Associated Wholesale Grocers (AWG), to unpack how private brands become a competitive edge for independent grocers—and how empathetic leadership keeps teams performing at their best. Emily shares a candid path from high school cashier to executive, spanning CPG analytics, fresh meat marketing, and wholesale strategy, with one throughline: say yes to stretch roles and learn quickly.

We dig into the mechanics of winning private labels across Best Choice and Always Save—partnering with manufacturers, shaping assortments with category managers, and aligning brand positioning for retailers and their shoppers. Emily explains how storytelling with data drives decisions at the shelf, from price architecture to packaging. She also opens up about the realities of work and family, offering practical tactics like outsourcing low-value tasks and building strong carpools so she can be present at baseball games and swim meets without letting her team down.

The conversation gets timely with a major reform: removing synthetic dyes by 2026. Emily outlines the steps to reformulate at scale, manage costs and quality, and keep communication clear for store owners and operators. We also look ahead at AI, ecommerce, and click and collect, emphasizing a people-first approach to technology that enhances forecasting, content, and customer experience without losing the human touch. Along the way, we highlight the power of mentorship and associations like WGA, WISE, PLMA, and FMI to accelerate careers—especially for women—through shared learning and real-world projects.

If you care about independent grocery, private brand strategy, and practical leadership you can use tomorrow, this conversation delivers. Subscribe, share with a colleague who loves the industry, and leave a review to help more people find Grocery from Her Seat.

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Sign up for women leadership opportunities in the independent grocery industry
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F: https://www.facebook.com/NationalGrocersAssn
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Grocery From Her Seat, Insights for Independent Grocers has been selected as one of the Top 35 Independent Women Podcasts on the web.
https://podcast.feedspot.com/independent_women_podcasts/

Host: Kristin Popp
Production: Rachael Melot, SWA.Marketing

What if the most powerful playbook for modern grocery leadership comes from stories that start outside the aisle? We’re bringing together standout moments from seasons one and two to explore how women at every career stage transform constraint into creativity—blending e‑commerce, data, and deep community roots to keep independent grocers thriving.

Representation takes center stage through Women Grocers of America, where visibility becomes a catalyst for ambition: if you can’t see it, you can’t be it.

Research insights from Jenna Krakomperger map the real pressures of inflation and labor shortages and show how independents adapt with niche strengths and unwavering community support. The stakes are high: in many rural areas, these stores are the last defense against food deserts, making digital access and operational resilience non‑negotiable.

You’ll leave with practical takeaways: translate intuition into metrics, cultivate mentors and share groups, invest in e‑commerce as table stakes, and protect the calendar blocks that keep life whole. If these stories spark ideas, share them with a colleague, hit follow, and leave a quick review—it helps more leaders find the strategies that keep local grocery strong.

Full episode for

Anne Feder

Jenna Krakomperger

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Support the show

Sign up for women leadership opportunities in the independent grocery industry
Join WGA
Join NGA

F: https://www.facebook.com/NationalGrocersAssn
L: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-grocers-association/

Grocery From Her Seat, Insights for Independent Grocers has been selected as one of the Top 35 Independent Women Podcasts on the web.
https://podcast.feedspot.com/independent_women_podcasts/

Host: Kristin Popp
Production: Rachael Melot, SWA.Marketing