There are few retailers who can genuinely lay claim to being stewards of the land; to having dug their hands into the dirt of a home ranch as children, or ridden horseback with their father as he mended fences and tended cattle. For Chris Keetch, Director of Produce and Floral at The GIANT Company, the mystique often surrounding the retail buying community simply doesn’t fit. He is as much at home walking beneath the trellises of a grape vineyard in California as he is at a desk—both roles required, both carrying their own weight. His personality is big, his presence magnetic, but it’s his dedication—and his commitment to hard work—that ground him. Chris is fluent not only in the language of produce, but also in the language of people.
That fluency was seeded early.
Speaking with Chris, he tells me how growing up in a farming family in Southern Idaho gave him a natural affinity for fresh produce. While the conversation flows back and forth, he homes in on the reason behind his love for the industry and all it produces.
“For me, ‘family’ is the keyword here,” Chris begins. “I have participated in many interviews and panels, but haven’t put enough emphasis on the impact of that word as it applies to me personally and professionally. I look at growing up in a farming family as a privilege. In addition to engraining the ‘you have to work hard for what you get’ mentality, I learned early on that farmers feed the world, and to be a part of that in every stage of my career thus far is mind-blowing. When I went off to college, I had the opportunity to start as a part-time Produce Clerk at the local Albertsons store. As I progressed through my store experience from Clerk to Manager, my upbringing influenced how I interacted with customers and leadership, and ultimately shaped how I coached, trained, and developed those with whom I worked. My work family was and is my new farm family.”
Family and farming shaped his worldview, and they also shaped his leadership philosophy. Chris speaks of passion in this industry as an extension of himself, but what also comes to mind when I speak to him, even more so than that beautiful word, is devotion—an enduring loyalty, a deep-seated duty, and a deliberate desire to pull those around him into the fray.
“Whenever I have the opportunity to speak to a group, I preach about approaching the business with passion. Everything else can be taught, but admittedly, I cannot teach the passion it takes to have a long and successful career in produce. I believe that is why we see 50-plus-year produce veterans and those just coming in who know they will stay from the onset—it's contagious and lasting,” Chris describes. “Produce can be a very complex and demanding field, with everything that goes into planting a field and delivering the harvest to a store, and ultimately the customer’s fridge. I love that aspect of the end-to-end. Give me somebody with the passion to learn and embrace the business, and I will teach them all the in-betweens.”
Just as others once guided him, he now pours that same devotion into the next generation. This conviction and drive to fill the paths of his colleagues and the next generation of produce professionals with experience, guidance, and also freedom, is something that was gifted to him throughout his time in the industry.
“I look at growing up in a farming family as a privilege. In addition to engraining the ‘you have to work hard for what you get’ mentality, I learned early on that farmers feed the world, and to be a part of that in every stage of my career thus far is mind-blowing.”
Chris Keetch, Director of Produce and Floral, The GIANT Company
“There were so many key turning points as I was coming up and finding my way. Some were course corrections, others were reaffirmations of the direction I was headed—even if I didn’t know it early on! Although experience can teach you what or what not to do, much of my journey is tied to leaders who guided and supported me and others along the way,” Chris says. “I know I’m leaving numerous people out, but key influences started with my father. Jim Frank and Keith Hahn at Albertsons were two early advocates who championed my growth. At The GIANT Company, John Ruane, Dave Lessard, Rebecca Lupfer, and Brian Lorenz have been pillars of support and advice. Every word has influenced me in some way.”
Each piece of advice has been sustenance for his growing appetite for knowledge, wisdom, clarity, and direction. And as you might expect, the table he sets for this meal of experience and devotion has an endless number of seats.
Leadership, for Chris, is lived as much as it is spoken. I tell him he has built a reputation for being hands-on and deeply committed to his team, suppliers, and customers. He smiles when I ask him if he can tell me a story that paints the picture of his leadership.
“That’s a tricky question, as hands-on can be confused with micromanaging. Our business is built on promises to our team, to our customers, and to our suppliers,” he starts. “In short, I encourage my team to deliver what we say we’re going to deliver—quality, value, assortment, and consistency. If there is any break in that chain from the field to the fridge, we have failed.”
Chris then takes me back five years to when COVID made its debut in our lives. No one could have anticipated the global repercussions, let alone the community impacts that rippled through each household of each team member.
“Although there are daily and seasonal challenges with Mother Nature, the pandemic really tested our commitment to all four of our promises. It was a time of uncertainty, and things were changing constantly, but I am proud of the level of service we provided despite the circumstances,” he reflects. “The GIANT Company’s produce department did not cut assortment, in addition to strengthening standing relationships, we also stepped up to help suppliers in the traditional foodservice business to move the product they needed to.”
That season of trial became another touchstone, another lesson etched into his career. With over three decades in the industry, Chris has witnessed a great deal. Each of those experiences gave Chris’ path shape, with many of these gifts remaining compass points along the way.
“Never stop learning, surround yourself with a great team, teach and coach vision, connect with other experts and leaders, break boundaries, and be yourself. Always find a way to be yourself. People will gravitate toward you if they know you are being authentic. Even if it’s hard,” Chris says. “I am very driven, sometimes to a fault, to ensure everything and everyone is in a good place. ‘Coach, train, develop’ was something I learned very early on, in life and in business. Do those three things correctly, then trust that everything comes together with positive results. I am passionate about ensuring ‘bench strength’ or the ‘next person up.’ There’s not much difference between managing and putting your child on a bike and watching them ride, or sending them off to college and knowing they’ll be okay.”
The “live it, love it, and embrace it” philosophy that continues to pay dividends in Chris’ journey can be seen not just in his professional life, but also in his personal life.
“My wife, Tanya, and six kids—Christian, Ethan, Aspyn, Sydney, Aydan, and Taylor—are my rocks and the reason to get up and face every day with vigor,” Chris says with such love and humility that it stops you in your tracks. “From home life to work life, I have the privilege to work with and lead a team that supports a very large business—194 stores and 35,000-plus team members. I am blessed—I would call it lucky—to have this career. To have so many leaders who chose me, coached me, and stuck by me; to meet so many people; to visit so many stores and interact with customers and team members alike. To see so many farms and operations.”
With such a high level of energy and adoration focused on the people in his life, it’s hard to believe he has time for anything else. But he is Chris, so, of course, he does.
“I love dirt bikes, 4x4’ing through the sagebrush, skiing, mountain biking, and boating. As my older knees and back started screaming, those calls to the great outdoors turned more into travel, which was new to me. I had never been east of Colorado before I moved to Pennsylvania, never had a passport until I met my wife from Canada!” he laughs. “Now, Caribbean cruises, Virginia Beach, and Hawaii are my and my wife’s ‘happy places.’ All are on our annual list of vacation destinations. The rest of the bucket list includes places like Ireland, Australia, and, maybe, some place where I will actually not have cell service.”
In the end, Chris’ story comes full circle. From riding beside his grandfather, father, and other family on the ranch to walking the rows of vineyards and guiding a team that serves millions of families each week, his path has always been rooted in the same soil. For him, produce isn’t just a business—it’s a birthright, a responsibility, and a privilege. And whether in the field, at the desk, or with his family, Chris remains what he has always been: a steward of the land, grounded by hard work, authenticity, and devotion. 
