Grocery & Department Stores
Giant Food Encourages Employees to Get #HealthyAtWork
Giant Food, the leading greater Washington, D.C. regional grocery chain, concluded its annual companywide #HealthyAtWork associate challenge by rewarding 22 employees with free fruits and vegetables for a year.
Guided by Giant Food’s Healthy Living Team of licensed nutrition professionals and in-store Healthy Living Ambassadors, the four-week program that ran Sept. 20 to Oct. 17 incentivized store and warehouse associates to participate in healthy behaviors and learn more about programs and services available to support their wellness goals.
“Giant is committed to supporting the health and well-being of our associates,” said Lisa Coleman, MS, RD, and director of healthy living. “The pandemic has placed enormous pressure on our associates who have been on the frontlines every day in difficult circumstances supporting our communities. Through programs like these, it is our goal to build a culture of health and support for all associates.”
The #HealthyAtWork activities prompted associates with simple weekly goals, tied to Giant’s key healthy living pillars, that built on each other to create habits designed to support a healthier overall lifestyle:
- Movement: Try a new exercise!
- Emotional Health: Reconnect with a friend!
- Physical Health: Check your blood pressure at the pharmacy!
- Nutrition: Swap a sugary beverage for water!
Activities also directed associates to Giant’s own healthy living programs including the Healthy Living By Giant podcast, blogs and classes as well as in-store shopping tools such as Guiding Stars, the nutrition rating system that identifies better-for-you options on the shelves.
Associates enrolled in Giant’s Flexible Rewards program also earned 5X Flex points on healthy food purchases throughout the program, which were identified by the Guiding Stars designation.
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Southeastern Grocers Ends Year With Wins
Southeastern Grocers Inc., parent company of Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie grocery stores, is celebrating its wins both for its customers and the community. Over the course of the year, the grocer has refreshed more than 70% of its total store footprint, added value and savings through new products and offerings and donated more than $5.5 million back into the community.
“As we conclude 2021 and look back at all we have accomplished as a community and company, I am simply amazed,” said Anthony Hucker, president and CEO. “Strength, generosity and kindness played a steadfast role throughout the year as we worked together to improve our stores, vaccinate our communities against COVID-19, provide nourishment to neighbors in need and lend a helping hand to one another during trying times. The accomplishments of this year have set a clear path for 2022, and I look forward to continuing to work together with our associates, partners and customers to enhance our communities for many years to come.”
Throughout the year, Southeastern Grocers has completed 78 overall store improvements including the remodel of 54 stores throughout its five-state footprint to offer improved shopping experiences. SEG has also added 19 liquor stores to its portfolio, opened two Winn-Dixie stores in Florida, expanded its growing Hispanic grocery store Fresco y Más with two new locations and launched a stand-alone liquor store concept, WDs.
SEG elevated its award-winning private label products with more than 400 new items and offered customers a “try it, love it, or your money back guarantee” to offer more value and savings to customers. Southeastern Grocers products brought home more than 80 top awards this year, including recognition from Private Label Manufacturing Association, Store Brands Editors’ Picks, USA Wine Ratings and World Dairy Awards. The grocer also enhanced its top-ranked loyalty program to offer “rewards Boosters” and additional Mystery Bonus points multipliers.
Deremer Studios Jacksonville Commercial Photography – www.deremerstudios.com
SEG, together with the SEG Gives Foundation and generous customers, donated more than $700,000 back into the community to help alleviate food insecurity and donated more than $815,000 to aid and support disaster relief efforts. The grocer partnered with thousands of local organizations throughout the Southeast and donated $1.5 million to Folds of Honor, providing 300 educational scholarships to the legacies of fallen and disabled service members.
In its second year, the grocer’s Romay Davis Belonging, Inclusion and Diversity Grant program provided 24 nonprofit organizations with $285,000 to help address racial disparities in education, health care and food insecurity. SEG also donated an additional $2.2 million to support various military, health and local community initiatives, including support for the USO, American Heart Association, American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, children’s hospitals and more.
Southeastern Grocerswas certified as a 2021 Great Place to Work for a second year and was the only grocer featured in Newsweek’s Most Loved Workplaces list for 2021, ranking at 48 among the top 100 companies recognized for employee happiness and satisfaction at work.
The grocer participated in four Pride festivals throughout its home state of Florida and was recognized by the National Diversity Council as a top employer for Latino leaders in response to its extraordinary commitment to Latinos in the workplace. SEG is also a member of the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce, a supporter of the National Diversity Council CEO Antiracism Pledge and a supporter of LGBTQ Workplace Equality as a Corporate Equality Index participant.
In 2022, SEG plans to expand e-commerce capabilities and remodel of more than 50 stores.
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Warren Decries Soaring Food Costs, Profits
The CEOs of Kroger, Publix and Albertsons received a letter from U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), but it wasn’t to wish them happy holidays. Instead, she criticized them for inflated profits while food costs soar.
Warren asked the CEOs to justify rewarding executives and shareholders while raising food costs, according to a press release. Warren asked for steps the grocers are taking to protect consumers and whether they put profits over consumers in the midst of a public health and economic crisis.
“Large grocers are blaming high food costs on inflation, but it’s time to talk about how they’re using every opportunity to rake in profits, reward executives and big shareholders while driving up prices even more,” Warren said.
“These companies made record profits during the pandemic and when faced with the choice to retain lower prices for consumers and properly protect and compensate their workers, they greedily granted massive payouts to top executives and investors. They need to answer for these actions,” Warren said.
Grocery chains have reassured investors that only consumers – not company profits – would be hurt by rising costs, all while continuing to spend billions on stock buybacks and executive pay, Warren said.
In 2020, Kroger, Albertsons, and Publix reported increased profits and net income compared to pre-pandemic levels. Now they are pushing grocery cost increases onto consumers, blaming it on inflation and lining the pockets of executives and investors, Warren said.
Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen told investors “a little bit of inflation is always good in our business.” Kroger and Albertsons have deprived frontline workers of hazard pay and failing to adopt necessary workplace safety precautions, Warren said.
Warren urged grocers to support essential workers that put themselves and their families at risk throughout the pandemic and ensure they have proper protections, rights and compensation. Warren has also pushed Congress to act on her Essential Workers Bill of Rights, which would bolster workplace protections for essential workers throughout the pandemic.
Warren asked the CEOs to respond by Jan. 7.
Warren also recently asked the Department of Justice to investigate the poultry industry’s anticompetitive behavior as turkey and chicken prices have soared.
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