Lidl U.S. confirmed on Jan. 21 that Joel Rampoldt is no longer serving as the company’s chief executive officer.
Marco Giudici, the grocer’s current chief customer officer and former CEO of Lidl Romania, has been appointed to lead the U.S. division as interim CEO, effective immediately.
A Lidl spokesperson responded by email: “Joel Rampoldt is no longer serving as CEO of Lidl U.S. He will continue to support Lidl in an advisory capacity, and we thank him for his leadership and contributions. Marco Giudici, chief customer officer, will lead Lidl U.S. as interim CEO. Lidl remains firmly committed to its long-term U.S. growth strategy, enhancing the customer experience and delivering on our promise of exceptional value and quality.”
The leadership transition marks a pivotal moment for the Arlington, Va.-based retailer as it nears a decade of operations in the U.S.
Marco Giudici brings a deep well of international experience within the Lidl Group to the interim role:
- Recent Role: Giudici joined the U.S. leadership team in August 2025 as chief customer officer
- Track Record: He previously served as CEO of Lidl Romania (2021 to 2024), where he was credited with maintaining market leadership despite significant supply chain and inflationary pressures following the COVID-19 pandemic (per Romania Insider)
- Lidl Tenure: Since joining the group in 2013, Giudici has held various strategic roles in procurement and marketing in Italy and at the group’s global headquarters
Joel Rampoldt, a former AlixPartners retail consultant, was the first American to lead the U.S. division when he was appointed in 2023. During his tenure, he focused on stabilizing the business through several key initiatives:
- Assortment Efficiency: Rampoldt significantly trimmed Lidl’s U.S. assortment from approximately 4,500 SKUs to 3,250, aiming to simplify the supply chain and lower costs
- Regional Density: He advocated for a strategy of “market density,” prioritizing growth in existing East Coast footprints over geographic overextension
- Supplier Relations: At the 2025 Groceryshop conference, Rampoldt emphasized a shift toward long-term contracts and mutual investment with U.S. suppliers, stating that roughly 85% of Lidl’s products are sourced domestically
The move represents the latest in a series of leadership changes for the discount grocer since its 2017 U.S. launch. Despite the shift, Lidl reaffirmed its commitment to the American market, stating it remains “firmly committed to its long-term U.S. growth strategy” and delivering value to customers.
