Food Retailers Partner With CPGs on Hunger Relief Efforts
According to Feeding America, hunger in the United States is growing. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, unemployment and food insecurity have soared. More than 42 million people may face hunger because of coronavirus.
To help combat food insecurity, retailers are joining forces with big-name CPG companies to provide resources to organizations devoted to hunger relief.
Hy-Vee Inc. will again partner with Kellogg Co. and Keurig Dr Pepper for the second year of its End Summer Hunger campaign. This year, Chobani has also joined the campaign that helps to provide meals to children and families in need through the Feeding America network of food banks. During the month of July, for every qualifying purchase made at a Hy-Vee grocery store, Kellogg’s, Keurig Dr Pepper, Chobani and Hy-Vee will help provide one meal to needy families this summer.
According to Hy-Vee, 22 million children have access to free or reduced-cost meals at school during the school year, but less than 4 million kids receive similar meals through USDA Summer Food Service Programs, leaving a gap of 18 million children who may not know where their meals will come from over the summer. Feeding America member food banks work to ensure that children who receive free or reduced-cost meals at school will have enough food during the summer.
“COVID-19 has caused the number of people experiencing food insecurity to double in many areas across our eight-state region,” said Tina Potthoff, SVP of communications for Hy-Vee. “Even as the pandemic wanes, the increase in those who are food insecure remains at an all-time high and will continue to be for quite some time. Hy-Vee, along with our partners, are proud to support Feeding America with this campaign to ensure families have access to meals no matter what time of year it is.”
Donations will be made through the purchase of select products at Hy-Vee’s more than 280 retail grocery stores. There's no limit to the number of product purchases per customer. Products include Kellogg’s Eggo Waffles, Frosted Mini-Wheats Cereal, Nutri-Grain Bars, Cheez-It, Town House Club and Toasted crackers; select Bai, Evian, Core and Green Mountain Coffee; and select Chobani Greek Yogurt SKUs.
End Summer Hunger runs the entire month of July. To increase awareness regarding hunger in the summer, Hy-Vee is partnering with Freedom Rock artist Ray “Bubba” Sorensen II, who will travel to four Hy-Vee stores across the company’s region and paint murals that illustrate the issue of hunger. Sorensen will appear in Lincoln, Neb.; Sioux City, Iowa; Rochester, Minn.; and Madison, Wis., July 15-18. Further details regarding Sorensen’s appearances will be shared at a later date.
Meanwhile, Stater Bros. Markets and Denver-based Danone North America recently joined forces to help people in need in the communities served by Stater Bros.
A portion of the sales from each Light & Fit, Oikos, and Two Good yogurt SKU purchased at Stater Bros. throughout the month of June, which was Dairy Month, will be donated to local regional food banks. To further hunger relief efforts and make an even greater impact, Stater Bros. Charities committed to a minimum donation of $10,000 and Danone North America committed to a maximum $20,000 donation at the conclusion of the campaign.
“Nurturing our communities is always at the core of Stater Bros. and how we do business. It’s because of partnerships with purposeful organizations such as Danone North America that allows us to continue our work serving the community and improving the lives of those who are most in need,” said Nancy Negrette, chairman and president of Stater Bros. Charities.
Funds support:
- Feeding America Riverside | San Bernardino
- Second Harvest of Orange County
- LA Regional Food Bank
- San Diego Food Bank
- Community Action Partnership of Kern
Employee-owned Hy-Vee operates more than 280 retail stores across eight Midwestern states. The West Des Moines, Iowa-based company is No. 34 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2021 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.
The largest privately owned supermarket chain in Southern California and the largest private employer in both San Bernardino and Riverside counties, San Bernardino-based Stater Bros. operates 170 supermarkets and employs about 18,000 associates. The company is No. 54 on The PG 100.
