Errol Schweizer is a longtime grocery and CPG merchandising and operations executive. Errol is the publisher of The Checkout Grocery Update, the essential take on the $1 trillion grocery industry. Errol's expertise extends from how the food industry operates, to food price inflation, the labor-business nexus and understanding food technologies. He has been writing for Forbes since 2021. He has worked in retail, CPG and food policy for over 25 years, starting out as a grill cook and stock clerk. He spent 7 years as National V.P. of Grocery for Whole Foods, with 14 years at the chain across 4 stores and 3 regions. His team was responsible for pricing, supply chain, category management and promotions. They brought thousands of products to market, added 350 basis points to gross margins and crested $5 Billion in annual sales, all while keeping average unit price under $3.50. He helped established organic, animal welfare, non-GMO and plant-based as industry trend leaders. He has since been named a Retail Game Changer by Supermarket News, a top 50 Industry "Sparkplug" by Bevnet and a Lifetime Achievement Award recipient from Hemp Industry Association. He is a Board Member, Advisor and mentor to over 20 high growth enterprises in natural products retail, CPG, and E-commerce, along with public policy and nonprofit sectors. Connect with him at his podcast, The Checkout and his newsletter, The Checkout Grocery Update.