H-E-B CELEBRATES 95 YEARS

SARAH MULHOLLAND

SAN ANTONIO -- H.E. Butt Grocery Co. here has hit the road in celebration of its 95th anniversary in the Texas community. The retailer has paid out more than $340,000 to date during its roving Loot for Labels sweepstakes.

Traversing the state in the Loot for Labels van, the Lookout Patrol visits the homes of three randomly selected registrants in each market in search of H-E-B brand products. The winner receives $95 for every H-E-B brand product found for up to 75 items. More than 25 Texas residents have already received the maximum payout of $7,125.

No purchase is necessary to participate in the sweepstakes and registrants can also receive $95 for having the names and weights of H-E-B own brand products on index cards.

In-store registration began Jan. 20 and the van made its first appearance the week of March 13. The promotion will continue throughout the summer, making its final stop in Kerville, Texas, during the first week of September.

The van will be visiting all 31 Texas markets served by H-E-B, excluding the Houston-market Pantry Foods stores.

The Loot for Labels campaign is the largest promotion ever run by the Texas retailer in terms of geographic scope and money paid out. H-E-B and the Lookout Patrol have been reaching consumers via newspaper and radio ads, as well as through in-store signage. Harris Teeter, Charlotte, N.C., has run a similar prize van promotion to encourage private-label sales every summer since June of 1998. However, a spokeswoman at H-E-B said the Loot for Labels giveaway was designed only to commemorate the company's 95th anniversary and that there are no plants to make it an annual event.