Grocery & Department Stores
Giant Food to Launch Loop Packaging in D.C.
Giant Food will bring Loop’s innovative packaging solution developed by TerraCycle to its customers. Beginning this fall, customers in the D.C.-metro area will be able to purchase the products they use every day in durable, reusable containers that can be found in Loop branded displays in participating Giant stores.
“Giant is committed to taking sustainable actions that reduce plastic waste from our landfills and improve our environment,” said Diane Couchman, vice president category management, non-perishables at Giant Food. “We are excited to partner with LOOP, a global leader in eliminating waste, to offer our customers a program that allows them to shop their favorite products and help our environment.”
Loop is the first platform to partner with brands and retailers to offer consumers a way to go from single use to reuse with their purchases. Through the platform, customers can purchase their Loop-ready products in refillable, reusable containers found in branded displays in participating Giant stores.
After consumers finish the products, they return the empty containers to a Loop Return Point at Giant. From there, the containers are sent to Loop to be sanitized, then returned to brands to be refilled and returned to the store for future purchase.
“Loop’s goal has always been to grow, scale and be accessible to consumers around the world,” says Tom Szaky, founder and CEO of TerraCycle and Loop. “With world class retailers, like Giant, bringing Loop to their physical brick and mortar locations, we are giving consumers what they’ve been asking for since Loop was introduced in 2019 – the ability to purchase the products they use every day in durable, reusable containers, with the convenience of shopping at their local market.”
To ensure that all the reusable containers used in the Loop process maintain advanced cleaning and sanitization, Loop consults with Ecolab Inc., a global leader in cleaning and hygiene solutions and services, for on site design and equipment, as well as the chemistry of the cleaning processes.
Loop’s movement to an in-store retail model began in Paris with Carrefour in December 2020. In May 2021, Loop launched in-store at AEON in Japan and in-store at Tesco in September 2021.
Loop launched in-store at Kroger-owned Fred Meyer stores in the Portland metro area in February 2022. Loop launched a reusable packaging partnership with McDonald’s in the United Kingdom and with Burger King and Tim Hortons in select restaurants in the United States and Canada, respectively.
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SpartanNash Corporate HQ Prioritizes People, Fun
Food solutions company SpartanNash celebrated the re-opening of its Grand Rapids, Mich.-based corporate headquarters, which was reimagined and renovated to inspire creativity and meet the evolving needs of its associates.
Hundreds of SpartanNash associates work out of the Grand Rapids Service Center. The newly renovated building is also adjacent to SpartanNash’s Grand Rapids Distribution Center, the company’s largest distribution center.
Every aspect of the renovation project was inspired by the company’s People First culture and guided by key principles to transform, energize, amplify and modernize working spaces. The result is open spaces for collaboration, an exciting color palette, the use of increased natural and LED lighting and agile workspaces with stylish furniture and technology.
“This beautiful new space is a great example of SpartanNash’s commitment to our Associates,” President and CEO Tony Sarsam said. “By offering bright, collaborative spaces for our teams to work together after years apart, we can celebrate a fresh start with an environment where people feel empowered to create winning work and innovative solutions. By putting our associates’ experience at the forefront of this redesign, we’re doubling down on SpartanNash’s most important investment: our people.”
To bring the company’s core behavior of We Have Fun to life and support a culture where associates look forward to coming into the office, the renovated space includes a Starbucks location, expanded café and variety of entertainment spaces including games for associates. All of these spaces were designed and modernized to attract and retain top talent, inspire creativity and promote a team environment.
Before becoming SpartanNash, Spartan Stores established a presence in Grand Rapids as far back as 1918 and has continued to expand and reinvest in the community. The current corporate headquarters was constructed in 1976.
“Our history in West Michigan traces back more than 100 years and it has been an honor to continue to deepen our roots and grow as a part of this community as we redefine what the new SpartanNash looks like when we move toward the future,” Sarsam said.
The headquarters hosts departments and leadership focused on retail operations, supply chain, strategy, marketing, communications, legal, customer support, HR, IT and more. It serves as the home base to those who support frontline associates in retail stores and distribution centers as they serve SpartanNash independent customers and in-store guests.
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SpartanNash Military Fundraiser Under Way
Food solutions company SpartanNash is holding its annual companywide fundraising campaign to support military servicemembers, veterans and their families. The SpartanNash Foundation military fundraiser will run from through July 10.
All money raised in the military fundraiser will be divided evenly between three nonprofit organizations – Team Red, White & Blue, Operation Homefront and Honor and Remember – providing critical funding.
“Our partner organizations go above and beyond every day to serve our troops, veterans and their families who have given so much, many who have been seriously injured or have paid the ultimate sacrifice,” said Senior Vice President and Chief Customer Officer David Sisk, who oversees SpartanNash Military, a division of the company and a leading distributor of grocery products to U.S. military commissaries and exchanges worldwide.
“We see firsthand the sacrifices our servicemen and women – and their families – make to protect our freedoms every day, and this is an impactful and meaningful way we can continue to support our American heroes regardless of where they live or the care they need within the community.”
The three organizations support the military community in a variety of ways, including physical and social activity, providing critical financial assistance and family services and honoring those who lost their lives defending American freedoms.
“We are able to deliver upon our mission to build strong, stable and secure military families because of the steadfast commitment of supporters like SpartanNash,” said Operation Homefront Chief Revenue Officer Margi Kirst. “SpartanNash allows us to be there for our fellow Americans in their time of need after all they have done for us in our nation’s time of need.”
“SpartanNash has consistently been on the patriotic forefront of recognizing and identifying the needs of the military community,” said George Lutz, founder and executive director at Honor and Remember. “Through our partnership, we can broaden the message to thousands more who may or may not understand that freedom comes at a very high price.”
Store guests who visit any participating SpartanNash-owned retail store or fuel center during the fundraising period will have the opportunity to donate $1, $5 or $10 at any checkout lane, or round their total up to the nearest dollar to support the three patriotic partners. Customers, and others interested in participating in this fundraising campaign, can also donate online through Fast Lane.
Since 2015, the SpartanNash community has provided $1.75 million in donations to patriotic partners through the SpartanNash Foundation, benefiting veterans service organizations such as Give an Hour, Fisher House Foundation, Blue Star Mothers of America, Inc. and Disabled Veterans National Foundation, in addition to its trio of patriotic partners for 2022.
SpartanNash also proudly hires veterans and military-connected Associates as a military-friendly and veteran-friendly employer.
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