Supermarket heroes, take a bow

Grocery workers across the country celebrated National Supermarket Employee Day on Thursday, with a number of grocers and associations giving a shout out to staff for all their hard work.

FMI - The Food Industry Association not only called out supermarket staff for their dedication to the industry and people they serve, but the association also built a webpage with a variety of resources grocers can use for the big day. 

They even declared National Supermarket Employee Day with a proclamation, which states that there are nearly 6 million supermarket employees in the United States, and the need for them “is greater than ever because of current and growing consumer demands …” among other things. 

The association also released a number of other resources for grocers to use. 

Meanwhile, grocers are publicly proclaiming their appreciation for their staff. Williamsville, New York-based Tops Friendly Markets released a statement saying their workers “play a pivotal part in fostering thriving communities.” 

“The resilience demonstrated by the Tops team in the face of adversities, be it a winter storm or a global pandemic, continues to leave us profoundly impressed,” said Tops president, Ron Ferri in a statement. “There is nothing that quite says dedication more than a room full of associates who have called Tops their family for over a quarter a century.”

St. Louis-based Schnuck Markets also released a statement praising the 40,000 individual stores and millions of workers who keep the industry thriving.

“The nearly 12,000 Schnucks teammates at our stores, facilities, and offices throughout the Midwest make our mission to nourish people’s lives possible.” said Schnucks Chairman and CEO Todd Schnuck in a statement. “Because of their commitment to our customers, Schnucks has had the privilege of serving our communities for 85 years.”

Brookshire’s Grocery Co., based in Tyler, Texas, also put out a statement in celebration of the big day. 

“Supermarket Employee Day allows us to share our gratitude for the commitment and hard work that BGC employee-partners dedicate to the communities we’ve proudly served for the last 95 years,” said Chairman and CEO Brad Brookshire in a written statement. “Our team plays a vital role in keeping the food supply chain flowing, and our company is excited to honor and celebrate them. We invite members of the community to stop by any BGC store on February 22, and any time, to congratulate and thank our local supermarket heroes.”