Peapod’s founder becomes its new president

Online grocer Peapod has named company founder and current CFO Andrew Parkinson as its new president. Parkinson founded Peapod in 1989 with his brother Thomas. He replaces former president and CEO Marc van Gelder who is returning to the Netherlands to join the executive board of OPG Group N.V., a pharmacy and medical supply retail and distribution company.

Peapod, No. 51 in Internet Retailer`s Top 300 Guide to online retailers, is owned by Netherlands-based Royal Ahold. "Ahold intends to grow its on-line grocery business and offer customers another convenient way to shop," says Bill Grize, president and CEO of Ahold U.S. Retail. "We want to thank Marc van Gelder for his leadership in developing and executing Ahold`s bricks-and-clicks strategy which resulted in doubling of sales."

Skokie, IL-based Peapod serves 150,000 customers in 13 markets in areas including metro Chicago, Boston, Baltimore and Washington, D.C., and communities in Maryland, Massachusetts, Virginia, Connecticut, New York, Wisconsin and Rhode Island. It has grown 20% a year in recent years, the company says. It reports 6 million deliveries since its founding.