CAMDEN, N.J. — Shakeel Farooque has been appointed to the newly created role of vice-president and head of digital and e-commerce of the Campbell Soup Co. In this role, Mr. Farooque will build and lead the digital and e-commerce organization with a focus on scaling Campbell Soup’s digital marketing capabilities, creating an integrated e-commerce approach, driving innovation and developing a new supply chain model, the company said.
Campbell Soup plans to accelerate its digital and e-commerce capabilities by forming an e-commerce unit representing all three Campbell divisions in North America, which Mr. Farooque will lead. The company has a goal of generating $300 million in e-commerce sales over the next five years.
“E-commerce is a significant growth opportunity for Campbell, and it represents the future of food commerce,” said Mark Alexander, Campbell Soup’s president of Americas Simple Meals and Beverages. “Only those who get there in a fast and smart way will win, and Campbell intends to do just that. We have an accelerated strategy to invest and grow in this space. It starts with talent. Shakeel is a builder — a builder of organizations, ideas, partnerships and solutions. That’s exactly what we need him to do here.”
Prior to joining Campbell Soup, Mr. Farooque was senior vice-president of e-commerce at Kohl’s Department Stores. Before that, he worked at eBay overhauling the company’s eBay Deals Program and led global strategic planning at Amazon.
Campbell Soup recently outlined its plans to partner with leading e-commerce companies, such as its $10 million investment and strategic partnership with on-line meal kit company Chef’d announced in May. The company said it is taking steps “to create a more flexible distribution system to serve e-commerce channels.”
