With Texas in Turmoil, H-E-B, Walmart and Target Respond

As the pandemic continues, the grocery industry’s emergency response has been tested once again, this time in Texas, where an unusually fierce winter storm has caused treacherously icy conditions and widespread power outages.

H-E-B has launched a real time webpage to provide the latest temporary store closures due to extreme winter weather in the state. Target has closed four stores in the state and is working to restock essential items. And Walmart initially closed 415 stores and Sam’s Clubs, creating an interactive map to inform Texans about which stores were open or closed, according to The Dallas Morning News.

“We’ve closed four Target stores in Texas due to power outages and poor road conditions from the winter storms,” a Target spokesperson told WGB via email. “We’ll reopen these stores as soon as we safely can to serve our guests and are working quickly to restock essential items like food and water in our stores that remain open.”

“Store leaders are checking in with every team member in the impacted areas to make sure they’re safe. And we’ve provided $10,000 so far to impacted stores so they can provide gift cards and supplies to support the needs of local nonprofit partners,” continued the spokesperson.

At San Antonio-based H-E-B, the grocer took immediate steps to mitigate the storm, minimizing power usage, modifying hours and closing stores, and navigating more product shortages, which have been an intermittent problem throughout the pandemic.

“Our top priority is taking care of Texas, and we are prepared to help our fellow Texans in any situation our company and communities might face,” says H-E-B’s website. H-E-B says it has “prioritized conserving energy across our business to help preserve the energy grid in Texas,” drastically reducing all nonessential power, such as lighting and HVAC set points. Additionally, when facilities are closed, H-E-B has turned off all nonessential power.

The H-E-B Newsroom is posting real-time updates of store openings and closures due to power and water loss. “The unprecedented weather event in Texas has caused severe disruption in the food supply chain,” says the company. “Like many other Texans are experiencing, this disruption is complicated by power and water outages. For H-E-B, this means temporary impacts to manufacturing, warehousing, store operations and the daily lives of our partners and their families.”

Product assortment will be limited for a few days, notes H-E-B, which has again placed limits on some items to help ensure access to the items customers need. Curbside and home delivery orders have been canceled because the grocer is unable to fulfill orders. H-E-B says it will resume curbside and home delivery operations as soon as possible.