Gourmet News

Southeastern Grocers Strengthens Community With Hurricane Aid, Recovery

Published October 7, 2022

Southeastern Grocers Inc., parent company and home of Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie grocery stores, together with the SEG Gives Foundation, has expanded its support of Florida customers and associates in the days following the wide path of destruction from Hurricane Ian.

SEG has reopened nearly all of its Florida stores and has extended its current in-store community donation benefiting the American Red Cross. Winn-Dixie also executed relief efforts this week with distributions of free water, ice, food and cleaning essentials to more than 2,000 families in the highly impacted areas of Englewood, Port Charlotte and Pine Island.

The grocer activated mobile pharmacies to offer preventive vaccines and essential medications, along with food pantries to provide shelf-stable products, fresh produce, water, ice and essential cleaning supplies in affected areas where stores remain closed.

“Nothing prepares you for seeing Hurricane Ian’s wrath on our communities, but with more than 95 years of experience serving customers in the Southeast, we know firsthand the dangers a hurricane can bring,” said Anthony Hucker, president and CEO. “We will continue to support our associates and neighbors in the recovery process with the essentials they need most, along with critical medications to aid the health and wellness of our customers and their families. While the road to recovery may be long, we know Floridians are resilient and we embrace our responsibility to support our communities in the wake of this devastating storm in their time of greatest need.”

Additionally, the grocer’s extended in-store community donation program benefits the American Red Cross, and customers can help equip the nonprofit by donating $1, $5 or simply rounding up their grocery bill while shopping their local Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie stores. Every dollar donated through SEG’s community donation program will support Red Cross Disaster Relief, which provides essential aid to those affected by disasters across the country, including food, shelter, relief supplies, emotional support, recovery planning and other assistance.

The grocer also donated $250,000 to the American Red Cross earlier this year in preparation for this hurricane season, and more than $815,000 to aid and support disaster relief efforts in 2021.

SEG’s associates continue to be a vital part of these recovering communities and the impact of prolonged damage or closures to area Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie stores. The grocer remains steadfast in its commitment to support associates through SEG Cares, a charitable program that offers assistance for associates by associates. SEG kicked off its Hurricane Ian fundraiser to benefit SEG Cares with $200,000 donated to aid associates impacted by Hurricane Ian.

SEG was featured in Newsweek’s Most Loved Workplaces list for 2022, moving up from last year’s rank at No. 48 to No. 26 among the top 100 companies recognized for employee happiness and satisfaction at work. Produced in collaboration with the Best Practice Institute, a leadership development and benchmark research company, the Newsweek list results were determined after surveying more than 1.4 million employees from businesses with workforces varying in size from 50 to more than 10,000.

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Agricultural Supply Chain Company ADM Marks 120 Years

Published October 3, 2022

Photo: ADM

ADM, the Archer-Daniels-Midland Company, has marked 120 years in business as an agricultural supply chain leader.

ADM was incorporated on Sept. 30, 1902, in Minneapolis as a regional linseed oil business. Today, ADM with 41,000 employees serving customers in nearly 200 countries – is a global agricultural supply chain manager and processor, a premier human and animal nutrition company, a trailblazer in groundbreaking solutions to support healthier living, a cutting-edge innovator in replacing petroleum-based products, and a leader in sustainability.

“Over the past 120 years, our company has evolved from a regional startup into an irreplaceable leader providing needed nutrition to billions around the globe. We’ve transformed at many moments along the way, but unlocking the power of nature to enrich lives has always been at the heart of everything we do,” said Juan Luciano, chairman and CEO.

“Every day, our 41,000 colleagues demonstrate our purpose and our values, not only by feeding the world, but by building a stronger, better future, whether through innovations in sustainability, or our commitment to the communities where we work and live. I’m proud of the work they’ve done and the journey we’ve taken together, and I’m excited about our bright future.”

To celebrate the milestone, ADM conducted a Fight Hunger Challenge to bring employees together around the world to raise money for hunger relief. As a result, ADM Cares has donated 1.2 million meals in partnership with the World Food Program, Feeding America and Food Banks Canada.

ADM’s founders were an unlikely but fortuitous match. George Archer was a quiet man and a deliberate planner, widely respected for his comprehensive knowledge of the linseed oil industry. John Daniels was outgoing and brash, extremely popular in trade circles and a leader in industry associations. Their distinct personalities made for a formidable combination and, in many ways, created the DNA of the company we are today.

To learn more about ADM’s history, visit https://www.adm.com/en-us/about-adm/our-company/history/.

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Hurricane Relief: SEG, Publix Help Stricken Communities

Published October 3, 2022

Southeastern Grocers Launches Community Aid, Recovery

Photo: SEG Commercial Photography – Deremer Studios, LLC – Jacksonville, FL

Southeastern Grocers Inc., parent company and home of Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie grocery stores, together with the SEG Gives Foundation, has extended its community donation program to benefit the American Red Cross and plans for additional relief activations in areas impacted by Hurricane Ian.

The grocer is actively assessing storm damage throughout all Florida Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie store locations to determine when affected locations can safely and quickly reopen to support customers and communities in their time of greatest need.

“Hurricane Ian has left a wide path of destruction throughout Florida, and our heartfelt thoughts are with all of our associates, customers and communities recovering from the shocking devastation,” said Anthony Hucker, president and CEO. “I want to express my profound appreciation for our associates for their support before, during and after this historic storm.

‘Utilizing our decades of disaster relief experience, we continue to put people at the center of our decisions to shape every step of our recovery efforts – however long they may take. Hurricane Ian has left a legacy of disaster, but we are a resilient community, and our customers can count on us to help them recover. We are stronger together.”

SEG has extended its current in-store community donation campaign to benefit the American Red Cross. Customers can help equip the nonprofit by donating $1, $5 or simply rounding up their grocery bill while shopping their local stores. Every dollar donated will help support Red Cross Disaster Relief, which provides essential aid to those affected by disasters across the country, including food, shelter, relief supplies, emotional support, recovery planning and other assistance, including hurricane relief.

The grocer donated $250,000 to the American Red Cross earlier this year in preparation for this hurricane season, and more than $815,000 to aid and support disaster relief efforts in 2021.

Emergency truckloads of essential products and vaccines have been allocated to open stores and pharmacies throughout Florida daily. The SEG Gives Foundation is mobilizing resources to provide water and ice donations to Southwest Florida. The grocer plans to activate mobile pharmacies to offer preventive vaccines and needed medications, along with food pantries to provide shelf-stable products, fresh produce, water, ice and essential cleaning supplies in impacted areas where stores remain closed.

Publix to Donate Water, Ice in Hurricane Relief Efforts

Publix Super Markets associates are distributing nearly 8,000 gallons of water and 75,000 pounds of ice to individuals affected by Hurricane Ian in southwest Florida at Next Level Church, 12400 Plantation Road, Fort Myers, Fla.

Publix also activated an ongoing donation campaign, allowing customers and associates to help people affected by the hurricane. One hundred percent of proceeds donated at checkout will go to the American Red Cross.

“Our hearts are with our neighbors, friends and relatives in southwest Florida,” said Publix Director of Community Relations Dwaine Stevens. “Taking care of our communities is part of our culture. In our most challenging times, the Publix family is always ready to do good, together.”

Publix, the largest employee-owned company in the United States with more than 230,000 associates, currently operates 1,306 stores in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia. For 25 consecutive years, the company has been recognized by Fortune as a great place to work. In addition, Publix’s dedication to superior quality and customer service is recognized among the top in the grocery business.

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