FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021
CONTACT:
Meredith Gremel, Vice President, Corporate Affairs & Communications, 616-878-2830
City of Grand Rapids, Kent County Board of Commissioners and Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce sign proclamation to honor more than 23,500 supermarket employees
SpartanNash CEO and executive team hosting ‘surprise and delight’ visits to thank company’s 13,000 retail associates
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – On Monday, Feb. 22, SpartanNash will lead celebrations in West Michigan for the first-ever Supermarket Employee Day. FMI—The Food Industry Association has proclaimed this new holiday to recognize retail associates at every level for the work they do feeding families and enriching lives.
City of Grand Rapids Mayor Rosalynn Bliss, Kent County Board of Commissioners Chair Mandy Bolter and Grand Rapids Chamber President and CEO Rick Baker have joined SpartanNash in its efforts and signed a proclamation designating February 22, 2021 as Supermarket Employee Day in honor of the more than 23,500 food retail workers in Kent County.
“Where would we be without the dedication and commitment of our essential workers throughout this pandemic? They deserve our sincerest recognition for the work they have done to support the more than 650,000 residents in Kent County,” Bolter said. “We are very thankful for them for their courage and contributions to our communities.”
“The service of these compassionate individuals has been and continues to be critical to the health and safety of our city,” Bliss said. “Every positive interaction with their customers and their exceptional commitment to safety leaves a tangible and lasting example of courage.”
“While dealing with the anxiety and uncertainty that accompanied the pandemic, our region’s citizens found these spaces to be dependably welcoming due to the selfless actions of our essential workforce,” Baker said. “When the rest of the workforce had to shelter and stand still, they stood up to provide us with food and other necessary items.”
Despite supply chain disruptions and workforce challenges, food retailers throughout Greater Grand Rapids have remained focused on serving their customers and communities throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
To celebrate and honor their efforts on Supermarket Employee Day, SpartanNash will offer all of its company retail associates an Associate Appreciation discount of 20 percent off at all company-owned stores, in addition to other celebration and recognition initiatives planned at the company’s 154 grocery stores.
Throughout the week, SpartanNash retail associates will also be featured on the company’s Facebook and LinkedIn pages, celebrating teams and individuals for their efforts.
“At SpartanNash, we have nearly 13,000 retail associates – including nearly 3,000 associates in Greater Grand Rapids – who come to work each day, keeping shelves stocked and providing our customers and communities with the essential food, medicine and groceries they need,” SpartanNash President and CEO Tony Sarsam said. “Our family of retail associates have continued to adapt throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and they truly are our frontline heroes. On Supermarket Employee Day – and all year long – we want to honor and celebrate the essential role they play.
“On behalf of SpartanNash, we invite customers to stop into their favorite local grocery store on February 22 to congratulate and thank our local supermarket heroes. Food retail workers have tirelessly served their customers throughout the pandemic, and I can’t think of a better day to say, ‘thank you’ for all they have done and continue to do.”
SpartanNash owns and operates 154 retail stores in nine states. In Kent Count, SpartanNash retail banners include Ada Fresh Market, D&W Fresh Market, Family Fare and Forest Hills Foods.
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About SpartanNash
SpartanNash (Nasdaq: SPTN) is a Fortune 400 company whose core businesses include distributing grocery products to a diverse group of independent and chain retailers, its corporate-owned retail stores and U.S. military commissaries and exchanges; as well as operating a premier fresh produce distribution network. SpartanNash serves customer locations in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, Europe, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Honduras, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and Djibouti. SpartanNash currently operates 154 supermarkets, primarily under the banners of Family Fare, Martin’s Super Markets, D&W Fresh Market, VG’s Grocery and Dan’s Supermarket. Through its MDV military division, SpartanNash is a leading distributor of grocery products to U.S. military commissaries.