Editor’s note: The following profile is from the 2025 Packer 25, our annual tribute to 25 leaders, innovators and agents of change across the fresh produce supply chain. (You can view all honorees here.) This feature has been edited for length and clarity.
Anthony Chanka — Category manager, Giant Food
Anthony Chanka is force in grocery retail and fresh produce. Chanka’s grocery career has spanned nearly two decades, the last seven years of which he has served as category manager for Giant Food, an Ahold Delhaize banner.
“Anthony Chanka brings energy and positivity into every room he enters,” says one industry professional who nominated Chanka for the Packer 25 honor. “A highly respected leader in the retail produce industry, he has been a trusted partner to many, generously sharing his insights and feedback whenever retail perspective is needed.”
Chanka also has been a long-time supporter and active participant in The Packer’s expos and events, where he is recognized as a valued voice in the industry. Throughout his successful career with Ahold Delhaize — one of the largest retail groups in the U.S. — he has championed the importance of fresh fruits and vegetables, healthy living and strong partnerships.
Chanka, who was born in Zambia and moved to the U.S. at the age of 19, is also passionate about his roots.
Speaking at a fireside chat titled, “Food is Power and I Need a Ride: Entrepreneurship in Zambia,” he was asked to explain what his favorite quote — “I am because you are” — means to him.
“I’m a proud Zambian … I love Zambia. I think about Zambia every single day,” he said. “My beloved quote of ‘I am because you are’ is … I cannot be successful and be happy if my sister or my brother is struggling. So, that is where that quote comes from. I live it every single day; the way I interact with my family and my siblings and so on and so forth.
“Professionally, I am in strategy and procurement,” he continued. “I work for a multinational organization … In short, why I’m talking about food is power [is because] part of my concentration is really strategizing and looking at how we’re going to feed America with fresh fruits and vegetables. So, I procure from all over the world, and we feed America.”
Determined to connect customers to the benefits of fresh produce, Chanka also supports initiatives such as Giant Food’s Food as Medicine program, which highlights the role of food in promoting health and wellness.
