Food City Offers Employees and Family Members Tuition Discounts

Food City has signed a corporate sponsorship agreement with Tennessee’s Tusculum University that will enable the grocer’s associates and their family members to receive tuition discounts for any of the higher education institution’s academic programs.

“Food City is an outstanding organization that has grown exponentially and supported the region impressively throughout its history,” said Dr. Scott Hummel, Tusculum’s president. “We are thrilled to help Food City associates and their families achieve their academic goals as they begin their careers or seek advancement within the company. Our expert professors and active and experiential education will enhance their knowledge and skills, and our students, faculty and staff will benefit from opportunities to collaborate on multiple levels with the company.”

[Read more: "TGCSA Names Food City Exec 2023 Retailer of the Year"]

“We are excited to offer the benefit to our associates,” said Misty Kern, Food City’s director of training. “Our dedicated associates are what makes us successful, and this is another way we can offer thanks. In addition to providing financial assistance, I see this providing future growth opportunities to our current and new associates. Many people only see us as a grocery store. We are that and more. It takes a lot of different skill sets to maintain our operations. We have many opportunities available in our retail operations, corporate support center and distribution center.”

In addition to associates receiving tuition discounts, Food City will be eligible for corporate and organizational analysis from master of business administration students completing the Comprehensive Business Project course and corporate training through the master of arts in Organizational Training and Performance Management capstone project.

Kern mentioned Tusculum students might be able to receive jobs and internships from Food City.

“Tusculum is committed to civic engagement and ensuring employees in our region have the tools to succeed in their chosen profession,” said Dr. Jacob Fait, VP of enrollment management and financial aid. “We are grateful for the trust Food City has placed in us and look forward to seeing the synergistic effect this sponsorship agreement has on the university, the company, and our region. By working together, all of us will continue to grow.”

Food City employs over 18,500 associates in 151 retail locations throughout Tennessee, Virginia, Kentucky, Georgia and Alabama. On July 25, company officials broke ground on a new Food City located at 1015 Gault Avenue S in Fort Payne, Ala. The 54,000-square-foot retail supermarket is expected to open early next year. A few weeks prior, Food City broke ground on a new Huntsville, Ala., store at the intersection of Taylor Lane and Highway 431 in the Owens Cross Roads community. The 60,000-square-foot retail supermarket is also expected to open early next year. 

Food City’s parent company, Abingdon, Va.-based K-VA-T Food Stores, is No. 70 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2023 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.