CHICAGO, Jan. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Home Chef, a leading meal solutions brand, announced today that Erik Jensen, president of Home Chef, will be promoted to Chief Executive Officer on February 1. Pat Vihtelic, founder of Home Chef, will continue to serve on the company’s advisory board throughout 2022.
In 2013, Pat Vihtelic founded Home Chef to simplify mealtime with easy-to-make, delicious recipes. In 2018, the brand was acquired by Kroger BB #:100073, America’s largest grocery retailer, and Home Chef has expanded its footprint into more than 2,200 Kroger Family of Stores nationwide.
In October 2021, the brand announced it surpassed $1 billion in annual sales as a result of its commitment to make mealtime easy and bring people together over a meal.
“It’s been an honor to create and grow Home Chef into the business it is today,” said Pat Vihtelic. “I’m extremely proud of the brand and our exceptional employees, and I’m confident Erik Jensen will excel in leading the Home Chef team over its next phase.”
Jensen has been with Home Chef for six years, and his leadership responsibilities have continually expanded during his tenure. In 2017, he assumed the role of Chief Product Officer where he played a pivotal role in the growth of the retail business in Kroger stores, and in 2021, he was elevated to president.
“Home Chef was built on a strong foundation, and under Pat Vihtelic’s leadership, the brand has disrupted the meal solutions industry over the past decade,” said Erik Jensen. “On behalf of everyone at Home Chef, I thank Pat for his dedication and ingenuity throughout the years, and I feel grateful for the trust he has in me to take on this role. As we transition into Home Chef’s next chapter, I look forward to continuing to drive growth and accelerate innovations in 2022 and beyond.”
In his new role, Jensen will report to Dan De La Rosa, Kroger’s group vice president of fresh merchandising, and he will focus on strengthening plans to ensure Home Chef continues on a high-growth trajectory.
“We are incredibly thankful to Pat Vihtelic for his vision and partnership in growing Home Chef into the $1 billion brand it is today,” said Dan De La Rosa.
“Our customers continue to tell us that they enjoy cooking at home, and with Home Chef’s expanded selection online and availability in our more than 2,200 Kroger stores nationwide, the meal solutions brand is making it easy for anyone to prepare chef-worthy meals. We’re excited to see Erik step into the CEO role and know that under his leadership, he will continue growing the brand and providing fresh, easy-to-make meals to our customers.”
To learn more about Home Chef, visit www.homechef.com.
About Home Chef
Home Chef is the leading meal solutions company with both a retail and online presence. Available from www.homechef.com and in retail at more than 2,200 Kroger grocery stores, Home Chef is committed to inspiring and enabling more people to cook simple, delicious meals, no matter how busy they are. Founded in 2013, Home Chef offers fresh, pre-portioned ingredients and easy to follow recipes delivered weekly and is designed for anyone to be able to cook and everyone to enjoy. The Chicago-based company delivers nationwide. For two years running, Home Chef has been rated #1 in customer satisfaction among leading meal kit companies, according to Market Force Information U.S. Grocery Benchmark Study. Home Chef is a subsidiary of The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR). Find out more and get cooking at www.homechef.com. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for updates and inspiration.
