The Fresh Market to Rebuild Following Hurricane Helene
Specialty grocer The Fresh Market has revealed it is temporarily closing its Hendersonville, N.C., store following flooding caused by Hurricane Helene. The store sustained extensive damage due to floodwater, necessitating a rebuild over the next 12 months.
"We are deeply committed to this community and plan to rebuild our store," said Jason Potter, CEO of The Fresh Market. "We value our customers and employees in Hendersonville and look forward to welcoming everyone back to an enhanced shopping experience."
During the reconstruction period, The Fresh Market is ensuring job security for its Hendersonville employees by offering positions at nearby locations.
In support of hurricane relief efforts, The Fresh Market is actively raising funds for those affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Customers can contribute through a roundup campaign at checkout in all stores, with proceeds benefiting World Central Kitchen. This initiative will run through Oct. 29. To further bolster relief efforts, The Fresh Market will contribute an additional $25,000 to support the cause.
[RELATED: Relief Efforts Continue as Grocers Make a Difference in Helene's Wake]
"We are dedicated to the communities we serve as they recover from these devastating hurricanes," added Potter. "Together, we can make a meaningful difference."
Hurricane Helene made landfall in late September, causing catastrophic flooding in western North Carolina, East Tennessee and Virginia. More than 220 people have reportedly died due to the storm.
Other grocery operations affected by Hurricane Helene include Asheville, N.C.-based Ingles Markets. The hurricane affected both store and distribution center operations due to unprecedented flooding and property damage. Ingles has 198 supermarkets in six southeastern states, but lack of internet access and other connectivity issues have limited transactions in many of its locations.
Greensboro, N.C.-based The Fresh Market operates 161 stores in 22 states. The grocer is No. 71 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2024 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. This past June, The Fresh Market was the recipient of PG’s inaugural Innovation Awards in the mid-tier (50-299 stores) category. The award was presented at the publication’s 2024 GroceryTech event in Dallas.
