The Fresh Market, Inc., a leading specialty grocery retailer, announced the appointment of Larry Appel as the company’s president and chief executive officer, effective immediately. Mr. Appel joins The Fresh Market with nearly 30 years of experience in retail, legal and corporate strategy.

Mr. Appel has also been elected to the company’s board of directors. In connection with Mr. Appel’s appointment, Brian Nicholson, the company’s chief financial officer who served as the company’s interim CEO, will remain in his role as CFO.

From 2002 to 2012, Mr. Appel served at Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc., a 500-store southeastern United States grocery chain, in a variety of senior leadership roles including chief operations officer, chief human resources officer, head of strategy and chief legal officer. After leaving Winn-Dixie, Mr. Appel served as CEO of Skeeter Snacks, LLC, a leading producer of natural and wholesome snacks made in a dedicated nut-free facility. From 1997 to 2002, Mr. Appel was senior vice president of legal at The Home Depot, Inc., the world’s largest home improvement retailer. Mr. Appel received a B.A. from the University of Virginia and a J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

Andrew Jhawar, Senior Partner at Apollo Global Management and Chairman of the Board of Directors at The Fresh Market, commented, “Following an extensive search and review of both internal and external candidates, the Board believes that Larry is the best leader for The Fresh Market going forward. We look forward to partnering with Larry and are confident in his ability to lead operationally and to execute strategies to ‘win’ with our customers. We are grateful to Brian Nicholson for his efforts in improving operations during this transition period, and we value his work in the critical role of CFO as we implement our strategy under Larry’s new leadership.”

“I am committed to reenergizing all that sets The Fresh Market apart as a great brand and retail store,” said Mr. Appel. “Its heritage and history provide a strong platform in continuing to define the company as a unique ‘specialty’ grocer, offering best-in-class products and customer service. I plan to work with our teams to further elevate every aspect of our business – all with a sharp focus on delivering an exceptional customer experience every day in every store.”