Specialty Food Magazine is the leading publication for retailers, manufacturers and foodservice professionals in the specialty food trade. It provides news, trends and business-building insights that help readers keep their businesses competitive.
Issue link: https://specialtyfoodmagazine.epubxp.com/i/912382
How are sourcing decisions made at Hy-Vee— centrally or at the individual store level? How important is local sourcing? Product sourcing decisions are made mostly at corporate, and then each store decides what products they want to carry. Many of these decisions are based on the changing lifestyles of our customers, including the products they ask for and what they express the most interest in. We noticed the shift toward interest in specialty foods almost 30 years ago, and in 1990 we acquired Lomar Distributing, Inc., a specialty foods, health, and natural products distributor locat- ed in Des Moines, Iowa. Lomar provides items ranging from ethnic foods to seasonings to imported cheese to our 246 stores. When it comes to local sourcing, Hy-Vee stores have built relationships with farmers and producers in their communities for more than 80 years. We believe that selling local products is a great way to support local economies and reduce environmental impact, all while providing customers with fresh, high-quality options. To help reduce the number of miles our food travels to reach our stores, we created the Homegrown program. We work with 257 local growers in our eight-state operating area to manu- facture, produce, or grow Homegrown products, and they are always marked so Hy-Vee customers know exactly where their food comes from. What product attributes are important when making such decisions? Do clean labels and short ingredient lists matter? Clean labels and limited ingredient lists are important to many of Hy-Vee's customers. This summer we announced our Clean Honest Ingredients initiative that makes it easier for customers to identify which of our Hy-Vee private-label products did not contain artifi- cial ingredients or synthetic chemicals. By June 2018, we will have more than 1,000 items in the Hy-Vee brand with the Clean Honest Ingredients logo. Hy-Vee practices autonomy when it comes to its extensive retail dietitian network that services most, if not all, of its stores. What role do these dietitians play in promoting specific products during store tours and other events, and do they influence sourcing decisions? From leading store tours to helping customers identify healthy options and providing biometric screenings to facilitating in-store meal preparation and lifestyle management classes, our registered dietitians make up a vital workforce that enhances the communities Hy-Vee serves. Our dietitians do promote various products during tours and promotions, and work directly with store directors to source and stock products based on customer requests and feedback. Hy-Vee, for years, has been on the leading edge of promoting health and wellness in ground- breaking ways, from its work with the Healthiest State Initiative and dietitian-led diet and fitness programs, to its more recent partnership with Orangetheory Fitness. What is Hy-Vee's mission as it relates to improving the quality of life in its operating areas? Hy-Vee is committed to optimizing customers' well-being at any life stage and exemplifies that commitment through collaboration among our chefs, registered dietitians, and pharmacists. More than 400 in-store chefs provide unique meal solutions and help answer culinary questions, while more than 200 dietitians offer suggestions for disease state management through nutrition, and nearly 1,000 pharmacists bring their extensive knowledge to bear for patient needs. Further elevating Hy-Vee as a one-stop health and wellness shop are 59 leased, in-store, walk-in retail health clinics providing exceptional care for non-life-threatening illnesses. To serve people outside of our stores, we operate nine Hy-Vee Healthy You Mobiles, which travel throughout our eight-state region to provide services at community programs and events. Hy-Vee's decision to build, own, and operate 26 Wahlburger restaurants was made in response to a shift in consumer spending and eating habits. Is this shift reflected in the types of foods and/or meal solutions merchandised at Hy-Vee? Hy-Vee offers innovative foodservice options, including authentic deli sandwiches, Hibachi-style Asian dishes, comfort foods, and sustainable sushi, as well as dozens of prepared-meal solutions. Our Hy-Vee Market Grille and Market Grille Express restaurants are just another way we can make our customers' lives easier. Statistics show more people are eating out these days, so our in-store restau- "To help reduce the number of miles our food travels to reach our stores, we created the Homegrown program. We work with 257 local growers in our eight-state operating area to manufacture, produce, or grow Homegrown products, and they are always marked so Hy-Vee customers know exactly where their food comes from." WINTER 2018 75