At the Table with…Wayne Denningham

This month in our "At The Table With" blog series, we're sitting down with Wayne Denningham, EVP and President of the Southern California Division. Wayne oversees a team across 329 stores that have been serving customers in Southern California since 1906. Today, Albertsons Companies proudly serves the region under the Vons, Pavilions and Albertsons banners, supported by approximately 33,200 associates, including 16,000 with Vons, 13,600 with Albertsons and 3,600 with Pavilions.

Wayne and the Southern California team truly exemplify our mission to earn Customers for Life. Let's meet Wayne and learn more about how leadership helps bring this vision to life every day.

Wayne, tell us about your division, and what makes your communities and customers so special?
I am incredibly proud to lead the Southern California Division for Albertsons Cos. How much space do I have?

First and foremost, our associates are simply the best. They are exceptionally loyal and hard-working. We have generations of families that work at our stores.

Our diverse associate base reflects our diverse communities, which helps us to better serve our customers each and every day.

We are also geographically diverse. Our Albertsons, Vons and Pavilions stores operate from the ocean to the mountains to the desert, with stores in big cities and small rural towns. In each of these stores, customers come back each week for the friendly, helpful service but also for the relationships they have built with their favorite checker, butcher, cake decorator or pharmacist.

Our stores are true champions for their communities. Through our Nourishing Neighbors charitable program, we donate locally across Southern California to food banks, food pantries and other community organizations to combat food insecurity. I'm pleased to share that in 2025, our division:

• Donated $6 million locally for hunger relief
• Distributed nearly $1.2 million in holiday gift cards
• Provided 11 million meals*

Our associates are also committed to giving back. In 2025, they volunteered more than 3,000 hours to help fight hunger in local communities.

What are your top 3 favorite Own Brands products? Why?
This is tough because I have so many favorites. If I had to choose, my favorite Own Brand product is our Open Nature Wild Caught Alaskan Salmon. The Denningham house likes to eat healthy, and we have "Fish Fridays." I use chili rub on the salmon and then barbecue it. To finish off, I drizzle real maple syrup. It's delicious!

I'm also a big fan of our O Organics salsa. I like it as a dip of course, but it's great over chicken too. I think it tastes better than any national brand on the market.

And because my family likes to eat healthy, I always stock up on our fresh cut fruit. It's great as a snack or a side and is always eaten quickly at my house and at work. Speaking of snacks, I love indulgent items like chocolate but especially cookies from our bakery. Pavilions makes the best large chocolate chip cookie they sell warm, and it's my favorite!

What food or well-being trends do you see our customers excited about most? What products or services are the most popular in your stores?
Wellness is a big trend for our customers in Southern California. They love our protein and fiber products, as well as our fresh cut and quality meat and produce. We have an incredibly large variety of produce and meat, and we pride ourselves that we are the "Best in Fresh."

Customers also come to us for our fried chicken, rotisserie chicken and the meal solutions we offer. The Los Angeles Times named the Albertsons store in Gardena the best grocery store fried chicken in Los Angeles! And of course, our more indulgent treats such as cakes, fresh-made cookies, desserts and store baked breads are very popular.

We have many popular services in our stores. We have expertly trained butchers to help customers find exactly what they need, and our in-store cake decorators are just amazing. They create beautiful, custom cakes for any occasion. We also have full-service floral departments with experienced designers to create arrangements big and small.

Our pharmacy teams are trusted by customers across Southern California. We have many long-standing pharmacy associates who have become an extended family to our customers who trust us to provide the best services, care and products available.

With 31 locations, Pavilions is one of the company's largest premium banners, offering an elevated grocery experience rooted in personalized service, exceptional craftsmanship and deep product expertise. Many stores feature concierge services for catering, special orders and milestone events, along with curated experiences like wine tastings, chef events and winemaker dinners. From Level 1 Sommeliers and cheese specialists to scratch bakeries, instore chocolatiers and custom orchid gardens, Pavilions is defined by its commitment to quality, training and a truly unmatched premium assortment.

What feature on our mobile app or online shopping experience should every customer know about?
First, our app is free to download, and customers can quickly click on our weekly ad to see what deals and promos we have this week. We make it easy to browse all the coupons available and add items to cart.

Second, we offer pickup or delivery services in as soon as 30 minutes with Flash™†. Many of our customers find this incredibly convenient whether they are planning a last-minute meal or realizing they forgot something on their earlier shopping list. Flash is one of the fastest-growing parts of our eCommerce business because it delivers the speed and flexibility customers want, without sacrificing the quality and value they expect from our stores.

Why do you love working here?
I love the people - our associates and our customers. I've been in this business for nearly 50 years, and I enjoy teaching and mentoring people through all stages of their careers. My best day is being in the stores to meet with our team and talk to our customers. I still learn something new every day.

*Calculated using the USDA's Thrifty Food Plan

†Must select Flash for service in as soon as 30 minutes. Service available only in select areas; operating hours of Flash Grocery Delivery and Pickup vary by store. Maximum basket size up to 35 items in a purchase and will vary by location. Select items only eligible for Flash Delivery. Fulfillment time is not a guarantee and is subject to traffic and weather conditions. Varying service fees may apply.