Calgary Co-operative Association Limited (Calgary Co-op) announced Tuesday the appointment of Andrew Clarke as Chief Executive Officer.
“After a thorough search process, we’re tremendously excited, proud and fortunate to have attracted someone of Andrew’s caliber to the Calgary Co-op, a true leader who understands our cooperative principles,” said Sandy Edmonstone, Board Chair, Calgary Co-op. “Andrew brings the right mix of drive to increase the bottom line and will lead our cooperative with passionate vision.”
The company had been without a permanent CEO since the departure of Ken Keelor in October 2024.
Spanning more than 30 years in retail, Clarke brings extensive experience on four continents and in more than a dozen countries. He also brings board and governance experience, giving him a strong appreciation for the partnership between boards and management. Throughout his career, his deep appreciation of his humble beginnings, as the son of an egg and cheese merchant, has shaped his leadership and he has never forgotten where it all started, said the company in a news release.
“I’m genuinely honoured to be joining Calgary Co-op,” said Clarke. “This is an organization with 70 years of history, built by members, for members. It’s what makes Calgary Co-op unique. My job is to listen to what members want from their Co-op and then work with our teams to deliver it.”
Co-op said Clarke is a globally experienced retail leader, beginning his career at Marks & Spencer in the UK, through senior retail roles in Europe, the United States, and beyond. He brings deep expertise in retail strategy and operations, and a proven record of building high-performing teams and leading businesses through complex and consequential moments.
Featured by CNBC and Time Magazine in 2025 for his authentic and values-driven approach, Andrew has created extreme growth and value for public and private investors in a variety of ownership models. He has delivered multiple financial, brand, product and cultural transformations and was an early adopter of AI, it said.
“Andrew brings a breadth of experience and retail acumen to our business,” said Edmonstone. “He’s committed to listening first, focused on what matters most to our members and employees, and building on the strong foundation already in place. I’m confident he’ll help lead Calgary Co-op into its next chapter while staying true to what makes this organization unique.”
Owned by members, Calgary Co-op is one of the largest retail co-operatives in North America. Locations in Calgary, Airdrie, Cochrane, High River, Okotoks, and Strathmore include food centres, pharmacies, gas stations, car washes, home health care centres, wine, spirits, and beer locations and cannabis. Calgary Co-op owns and operates Community Natural Foods, Beacon Pharmacies, and Willow Park Wines & Spirits and is the majority shareholder of Care Pharmacies.
The company is approaching 500,000 members with 3,800 employees, assets of $1.2 billion and annual sales of $1.5 billion.
In April, Co-op reported sales of $1.55 billion for the fiscal year ending November 1, 2025 compared to $1.48 billion the previous year.
It reported net earnings of $6.1 million compared to a net loss of $10.04 million the previous year. Its long-term debt rose to $413.46 million from $378.62 million the year before.
Sales in the Food category rose to $568.4 million from $552.56 million while sales for Pharmacy of $338.7 million were up from $242 million the prior fiscal year. The Petroleum category saw sales dip from $429.4 million in 2024 to $392.1 million last year.
In the Spring, the grocery chain closed two of its stores.
In a letter to members from Edmonstone, it said Clarke describes himself as a shopkeeper at heart, and he means it literally. He grew up in his family’s egg and dairy business just outside the village of Cheddar in rural Somerset, England, watching his father build something from nothing after a mid-life transition from corporate banking.
“It was not always plain sailing,” said Clarke. “One thing kept my family going: the love of what we did and our complete dedication to serving our customers and our community.”
“There is no greater responsibility than putting food on a hard-working customer’s table.”
Edmonstone said Clarke has spent the past three months immersed in Co-op’s food stores, gas stations, pharmacies, and operations, listening to team members, walking sales floors, and hearing directly from members “about what makes our Co-op special and where we can do better.”
“Close to 500,000 members own this co-operative. Members own our grocery stores, our gas stations, our pharmacies, our liquor stores, our organic supermarkets, healthcare and cannabis locations. Every dollar spent in our stores goes back into Calgary. That makes us genuinely unique as a retailer,” said Clarke in the letter.
“New strategies and improving our financials are important, but my number one priority is serving members better. Because when we do that, we win, and in turn, our members win. We are not here to process transactions. We are here to serve members. Everything starts and ends with that premise.
“It says CEO on my badge, but I lead with a shopkeeper mindset. I am not here to tell members what they want. I am here to listen to what members want and develop the strategies and lead our teams to deliver exactly that.
“My tenure at Calgary Co-op has started on the sales floor, and it will continue there. I truly believe our best ideas can come from anywhere in our organization. I would love for you, our members, to join me and my new team in continuing to tell us how you want your Co-op to serve you better.”
You can learn more about Clarke by watching his welcome video here.
