Sprouts Farmers Market has named President and Chief Operating Officer Nick Konat as its next chief executive officer, effective January 4, 2027, as the specialty grocery retailer prepares for a planned leadership transition from longtime CEO Jack Sinclair.
Konat will also join Sprouts’ board of directors when he assumes the CEO role. Sinclair, who has led the Phoenix-based company since 2019, will become executive chairman, maintaining a leadership role as Sprouts continues its store expansion and growth strategy.
The transition will take effect on the first day of Sprouts’ 2027 fiscal year. Joe Fortunato, currently chairman of the board, will become lead independent director on the same date.
Konat joined Sprouts in March 2022 as president and COO and has responsibility for a broad portion of the retailer’s operating platform, including store operations, marketing, merchandising, supply chain and innovation.
That scope gives him direct experience with many of the functions central to Sprouts’ expansion. The company currently operates more than 480 stores across 25 states and employs approximately 36,000 people.
“The Board and I have spent significant time and consideration developing our succession plan, and we believe that now is the right time to transition Sprouts to its next generation of leadership,” Sinclair said.
According to Sinclair, Konat has played a central role in shaping and executing Sprouts’ strategy since joining the company. Sinclair said he will support Konat through the transition and continue working with him after becoming executive chairman.
The internal appointment provides continuity at a time when Sprouts is focused on expanding into new markets while maintaining its differentiated position within the grocery sector. The retailer specializes in fresh, natural and organic foods, with fresh produce positioned at the center of its store format and assortments spanning organic, gluten-free, plant-based and non-GMO products.
Konat said the company will remain focused on executing its growth strategy, entering new markets and strengthening customer relationships while navigating changes in consumer behavior.
For Sprouts, that strategy requires coordination across several of the operations Konat already oversees. Opening stores in new markets involves site development and store operations, but also requires supply chain capacity, localized marketing, merchandising and product availability to scale alongside the physical footprint.
His appointment therefore moves an executive already responsible for much of the company’s day-to-day commercial infrastructure into the top leadership position rather than bringing in an outside CEO.
“The Board believes that Nick’s experience, along with his deep knowledge of our business and Sprouts’ unique culture and market position, make him the ideal leader for the next phase of the company’s journey,” Fortunato said.
Konat brought experience from several large consumer and retail organizations when he joined Sprouts. Before arriving at the company, he spent more than six years with Petco Health and Wellness Company, ultimately serving as chief merchandising officer.
Earlier, Konat spent more than nine years at Target, holding merchandising, planning and leadership positions across food and fashion categories. He began his career with Accenture, where he worked for six years.
His background across merchandising, planning and operations aligns with Sprouts’ reliance on assortment differentiation as part of its specialty grocery model. Unlike conventional supermarkets built around broad assortments, Sprouts emphasizes curated products serving specific dietary preferences and wellness-oriented consumers.
Konat holds an honors bachelor’s degree in political science and government from St. John’s University.
Sinclair’s move to executive chairman creates a structure intended to preserve continuity through the leadership change. He has served as CEO since 2019, a period the company described as one of significant transformation and value creation.
With Konat already managing operations, marketing, merchandising, supply chain and innovation, the succession keeps responsibility for executing Sprouts’ growth model with an executive who has been directly involved in building it since 2022.
The January transition will give Konat responsibility for the next phase of that expansion while Sinclair remains involved at the board level. For a retailer with more than 480 stores and a growing national footprint, the arrangement provides continuity across both corporate leadership and the operating functions required to enter new markets and scale the Sprouts store network.
