Grocers Spice Up Peppers With #HatchatHome Challenge

8/17/2020

Grocers Get Customers Into Chilies With #HatchatHome Challenge

Food City, Bashas' and AJ's Fine Foods are featuring a number of dishes with hatch chiles in the bakery, deli, produce and meat departments.

Arizona's Hatch Green Chile season is underway, so the Bashas' Family of Stores is urging its customers to get creative, even if they're not leaving their houses as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.

The new #HatchAtHome Challenge will take place from now through Sept. 8. Food City, Bashas' and AJ's Fine Foods shoppers have the chance to win a variety of at-home cooking supplies and a grocery gift card (valued at $1,000) or a runner-up prize of at-home cooking supplies and a grocery gift card (valued at $500).

Participants have to post a public photo or video on their favorite social media channel, using the hashtag #HatchAtHome to enter.

Why the challenge now? Bashas' says:

"It has been months since the pandemic limited restaurant options and caused many people – even those who have never made a meal in their own kitchen – to cook more at home. Consumers now report cooking an average of six dinners at home a week, compared with 3.8 weekly home-cooked dinners in a 2018 survey. Due to stay-at-home and quarantine orders, everyone is spending more time cooking, watching TV, browsing social media and exercising at home.

"While some are experiencing cooking fatigue in the kitchen, others have felt more empowered, discovering they enjoy preparing and eating homemade food more than expected. Some new recipes, habits and skills appear likely to last as consumers participate in more cooking projects at home."

All Food City, Bashas' and AJ's Fine Foods locations have authentic Hatch green chiles available for purchase from now until mid-September, along with a number of offerings in the bakery, deli, produce and meat departments featuring the popular green peppers. Nearly all Food City stores will also roast the peppers for customers at no charge.

Bashas’ is a family-owned company based in Chandler, Arizona. Its brands include Food City, AJ's Fine Foods, Eddie's Country Store, and both Bashas' and Bashas' Diné supermarkets. Bashas’ Market Inc. is No. 73 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer's list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.