Impact Awards 2022: Hy-Vee, Food Security/Nutritional Leadership
Retailers, product suppliers and service providers across the private label industry work on a daily basis to provide consumers quality products that offer great value and enhance their lives. But many companies go above and beyond, and take steps daily to protect the environment, enhance diversity programs, implement unique workforce initiatives, support needed community programs and more.
To honor the work of companies across our industry, Store Brands’ 2022 Impact Awards features several leading organizations that throughout the year have taken steps to support their customers and communities beyond the walls of their stores or manufacturing facilities.
The following profiles showcase the work of companies in several important categories: Sustainability and Resource Conservation; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Ethical Sourcing and Supply Chain Transparency; Workforce Development and Employee Support; Community Service and Local Impact; Educational Support and Learning Advancement; Food Security, Safety and Nutritional Leadership; and Philanthropic Innovation and Corporate Giving Initiatives.
Company: Hy-Vee
Impact Award: Food Security/Nutritional Leadership
Fighting hunger in the communities it serves is an ongoing commitment at Hy-Vee. During the past year the grocer’s hunger-fighting efforts were particularly important as federal Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits were reduced to pre-pandemic levels, coupled with rising inflation across the U.S.
In 2021, Hy-Vee launched its “Scan Out Hunger” campaign by leveraging its reimagined Hy-VeeDeals.com site. Hy-Vee developed a series of tailgating-themed commercials featuring popular celebrities who encouraged viewers to scan Hy-Vee’s “H” QR code to make a monetary donation directly to Feeding America via Hy-VeeDeals.com.
Hy-Vee and its customers and suppliers raised enough money to fund more than 9.3 million meals — surpassing the retailer’s original goal of 5 million meals. As a result of its efforts, Hy-Vee was named a Leadership Partner by Feeding America.
Throughout 2022, the grocer led several other hunger-fighting initiatives including Hams for the Holidays that included the distribution of 5,000 hams to families in need across 16 cities prior to Easter. Approximately 2,400 hams were also donated to food banks in Hy-Vee’s future markets including Indianapolis, Louisville and Nashville.
Its Unite for Ukraine efforts included a partnership with Meals from the Heartland that provided
30,000 meals to war-torn areas of the Eastern European country. More recently, Hy-Vee launched its “Food Bank Fridays” campaign to provide immediate assistance to families in need. Through “Food Bank Fridays,” Hy-Vee customers are able to make a $1 or $5 donation at their local Hy-Vee or Dollar Fresh Market store.
Since April 2022, more than $2 million has been raised to support local food banks. In September, Hy-Vee was among a select group of retailers invited to attend the 2022 White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health – the first conference held of its kind since 1969. At the conference, Hy-Vee announced its commitment to provide 30 million meals to vulnerable communities by 2025, as well as deploy its registered dietitian team to educate 100,000 Americans in areas of low food access on healthy eating and nutrition by 2026.