Food Lion Honors Top Store Managers, Spotlights Community Impact

Event summary

  • Amelia Barton, store manager at Food Lion's Charlotte location, named 2025 Ralph W. Ketner Store Manager Excellence Award winner.
  • Four other store managers recognized for exceptional leadership across Food Lion's 10-state operating area.
  • Food Lion will donate 20,000 meals in Barton's name to Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina.
  • Barton began at Food Lion as a high school cashier in 2013 and rose through leadership roles.
  • Food Lion operates 1,100+ stores with over 82,000 associates across 10 states.

The big picture

Food Lion's recognition of top store managers underscores the grocery retailer's focus on operational excellence and community impact. As competition intensifies in the Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions, the company's emphasis on empowering store-level leadership could differentiate its customer experience. With over 1,100 stores and 82,000 associates, Food Lion's ability to scale these best practices will be critical to maintaining its market position.

What we're watching

Talent Development
How Food Lion's internal promotion pipeline will affect long-term associate retention and leadership quality.
Community Engagement
Whether Food Lion's hunger-relief initiatives can sustain momentum toward its 3 billion meal donation goal by 2032.
Operational Excellence
The pace at which Food Lion can replicate best practices from top-performing stores across its 1,100+ locations.