BOISE, Idaho — Jennifer Saenz, executive vice president and chief merchandising officer at Albertsons Cos., says she spends a great deal of time thinking about the retailer’s shoppers and “all of the special things that make us distinct in the marketplace.”

Since joining Albertsons Cos. in 2021, Saenz has overseen national merchandising, marketing, insights, loyalty, data commercialization and the grocer’s Own Brands portfolio, which includes popular lines such as O Organics, Open Nature and Lucerne as well as more recent innovations including Signature Select’s Mix + Match meal solutions.

“What’s exciting about this new line of frozen entrees, sides and veggies is that they can cook together in one standard oven at 375 degrees for about 35 minutes,” Saenz says. “This is such a great solution for busy families who need simple, delicious dinners without time-consuming prep and clean-up.”

Jennifer Saenz

Much of what’s she’s learned about product development comes from “embracing mistakes, internalizing lessons and working toward solutions,” she says. “Earlier in my career as a first-time director, I led a brand that had a very challenging year. Our collective team was so excited about the promise of an innovation that we rushed the product to market and made a huge bet. It was too fast, too soon. Then, as it turned out, the prototype we tested and the commercial product that was produced were completely different, and it failed miserably. We pursued a strategy that looked incredible on paper but, in reality, it ignored critical insight on consumer experience and the role of our product in people’s lives.”

Adds Saenz, “Another significant lesson that I learned early in my career and my advice to really anyone is: Wherever you work, seek out the people with the very best reputations for developing people and work hard to be part of their team. I found managers and mentors who were truly invested in me and guided me to accelerate my own development by helping me develop critical thinking skills and encouraging me to take reasonable risks that built my confidence and develop my own skills as a leader.”

The job also has its unique and fun moments. Saenz recently worked with YouTube personality and digital creator MrBeast on “Survive in a Grocery Store,” challenging a contestant to see how many days he can live inside a Safeway grocery store. The challenge raised $450,000 in groceries and other merchandise for local charities.