SEG Launches Annual School Donation Program
Southeastern Grocers Inc., is launching its third annual in-store community donation program benefiting more than 420 K-12 schools and school districts throughout the Southeast. Through Aug. 29, customers can donate $1, $5 or round up their purchase at checkout to help fund vital school resources and educational programs to ensure a successful start to the new school year.
Customers can also support their local schools and help better the environment by purchasing a Community Bag with a Giving Tag for $2.99 at all Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie stores. With each reusable bag purchase, $1 will go directly to the store’s chosen school or school district.
Raymond Rhee, Chief People Officer for Southeastern Grocers, said, “We firmly believe a strong community is built on the foundation of education. Through this community donation program, we are not only providing students with the tools they need, we’re also fostering a sense of togetherness and support within our neighborhoods.
“Every contribution makes a significant impact as we work together to build brighter futures for our youth – our future leaders – and in turn, nurture thriving communities for generations to come.”
As part of SEG’s continued commitment to furthering education, the grocer recently awarded 28 full- and part-time associates with college scholarships totaling $84,000. The SEG Scholarship Program has provided $212,000 in scholarships since its inception in 2020.
Interested associates with at least six months of tenure and a high school diploma or equivalent degree are encouraged to apply for the scholarship program. Each of this year’s 28 deserving scholarship recipients received $3,000 to help cover their expenses for the upcoming semester.
Additionally, with the National Retail Federation expecting a new record high spend this back-to-school season, SEG is helping customers stretch their wallets. SEG’s line of Own Brand products offers more than 8,000 quality items – including school essentials, delicious breakfast options and easy to pack lunch options – and provides an average savings of 20% compared to national brand products.
Customers can also find additional savings through Winn-Dixie’s “Down Down” program, offering lower prices on more than 150 commonly shopped items each season to help customers save more than 15 percent on average at their neighborhood store. Through the grocer’s “Down Down” program, customers can find discounted items marked with a red hand on signs and tags throughout Winn-Dixie stores.
Similarly, items marked with yellow and green signage at Fresco y Más and Harveys Supermarket are part of the “Low Price” and “Low Low Price” programs providing families with deep discounts for back-to-school shopping.
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UNFI Wraps Up Successful Winter Show
United Natural Foods, Inc. concluded a successful 2023 Conventional Winter Show, held at the Minneapolis Convention Center in Minneapolis. UNFI Winter Show brought together more than 2,000 grocery retailers, providing them with access to the company’s extensive network of suppliers and vendors.
Following a productive Natural Holiday Show held at the Mohegan Sun Resort & Casino (June 7-8), the Conventional Winter Show is strategically timed to help prepare UNFI’s retailer partners for the crucial holiday and winter selling periods. By introducing new products, innovative processes, and supplier solutions, UNFI demonstrates how it is adding value for customers and serving as their strategic partner.
“Our annual shows provide an important opportunity to bring together our connected community of independent retailers, suppliers, and associates and provides a platform to update them on our multi-faceted Transformation plan and the benefits that are helping improve our customer and supplier experience. The Conventional Winter Show leverages our expansive portfolio of products, merchandising strategies, and insights to help retailers drive sustainable growth and profitability in the marketplace,” said UNFI chief customer officer, Steve Dietz. “Our customers are always seeking new ways to bring their shoppers exceptional value, and in partnership with our suppliers, we are proud to offer them a productive and collaborative environment to find new and exclusive product offerings, special show deals, and value-added services.”
UNFI’s Conventional Winter Show is one of the largest grocery industry events, and one of five trade shows hosted annually by UNFI. This year’s show included:
- More than 2,000 customers, including domestic and international retailers.
- Approximately 550 suppliers covering more than 200,000 square feet.
- 260 new products introduced in UNFI’s New Product Showcase.
- 300+ monster buys (exclusive UNFI deals on many of the most popular consumer products) covering nearly every store category.
- The introduction of UNFI’s Independent Grocer’s Guidebook 2.0, highlighting best-in-class strategies and case studies from selected UNFI customers designed to help all retailers plan for the future of grocery.
“The UNFI Conventional Winter Show is a key part of our holiday planning, providing us with a valuable in-person opportunity to view new product innovations, research in-store merchandising strategies, and connect with suppliers,” said Joe Zink, vice president center store merchandising at Skogen’s Festival Foods. “Our partnership with UNFI is incredibly valuable, and our ability to see and experience the robust array of Brands+ and seasonal products on offer enables us to fully prepare for the busy holiday selling season we are expecting this fall and winter.”
UNFI will next host its Fresh Specialty Show in San Francisco on Aug. 23, followed by its Natural Winter Show at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas from Sept. 27-28. For information on UNFI Shows, customers or suppliers can visit: https://www.unfi.com/shows-events or email events@unfi.com.
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Midwest Growth Partners Invests in French Gourmet
Midwest Growth Partners, a West Des Moines- and Omaha-based private equity fund that specializes in succession planning and growth capital investments across the food and agriculture value chain, has invested in French Gourmet, LLC.
Based in Sparks, Nev., French Gourmet was founded by Patrick Novak in 1984 as a manufacturer of artisanal, all-natural, European-style pastries and Danishes. The company manufactures a variety of croissants, Danish pastries, dough shells and puff pastries with laminated dough in frozen and pre-proofed formats. The company services hotels, cafes, independent bakeries, diners, grocery bakeries and other foodservice businesses.
“French Gourmet is well positioned for its next phase of growth, and I’m excited for Midwest Growth Partners to help execute on the vision I’ve had for the company since founding the business,” said Patrick Novak.
Zane Hendricks, vice president of Midwest Growth Partners, said, “French Gourmet has a great product, culture, and impressive manufacturing capabilities. I’ve enjoyed working with the entire management team, and we are excited to be part of the company’s growth for years to come.”
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