Hy-Vee Selected for 2012 SN Retail Excellence Award

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa — Supermarket News has selected Hy-Vee here as the winner of its 2012 Retail Excellence Award.

A feature article profiling Hy-Vee and its newest store is scheduled to appear in the Sept. 3 issue of SN and online.

With sales of more than $7.3 billion and more than 235 retail stores across eight Midwestern states, Hy-Vee is one of the largest traditional supermarket operators in the U.S. It is an employee-owned company known for the autonomy of its store managers, whose local expertise helps the chain leverage its scale on a store-by-store basis.

The chain is known for its sharp pricing, high levels of service and — perhaps most of all — for its intense focus on health and nutrition, with HealthMarket departments featuring natural and organic products; in-store dietitians; the NuVal Nutritional Scoring System; consumer and employee wellness programs; and its sponsorship of the Hy-Vee Triathlon.

It also has a highly advanced prepared food program, as evidenced by its newest and largest store, a 93,000-square-foot location in Urbandale, Iowa, that will feature a full-service, sit-down restaurant when it opens in August.

“Hy-Vee has been a very successful operator in this industry for a long time, but its winning formula encompassing local autonomy, strong pricing and a focus on nutrition is more relevant today than ever,” said David Orgel, editor in chief of Supermarket News and content director, Penton Food Group. “SN is pleased to present this year’s Retail Excellence Award to Hy-Vee.”

SN's 2012 Retail Excellence Award is sponsored by Unilever.

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