President’s Message

What Year Is It Again?

RON FONG

PRESIDENT AND CEO CALIFORNIA GROCERS ASSOCIATION

The challenges from the pandemic keep coming in 2021.

When the page turned on 2020, I, like I assume many of you, felt the hope a new year can bring. Hope for greater unity. Hope for the opportunity to reconnect with friends and family in person. Hope for the chance to reconnect with the industry from the tee box, or maybe even a beach in Hawaii. While the Covid-19 vaccine’s rollout has had its glitches, its existence represents a light at the end of the tunnel and makes all of these hopes possible in 2021. Still, we all seem to have a sense that the first few months of 2021 feel a lot like 2020. And for good reason. The Covid-19 pandemic continues to be the central animating force in our daily lives, businesses, and the political arena. California has toggled between the different coronavirus color tiers and stay-at-home rules. The country again faced political turmoil at the start of the year. Through it all, the grocery industry has been one of the few stable presences in the communities we serve. As one of the few industries that has operated throughout the pandemic, the industry’s profile has been raised in both positive and negative ways. Because of my role leading the Association, Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed me to both his economic taskforce and vaccine advisory committee. These roles have offered grocers the proverbial seat at the table. Like it or not, this newfound spotlight means every Covid-19 issue has also become a “grocery issue.” The latest version of this dynamic to impact California’s grocery community is mandated extra pay for grocery workers. Across the state cities and counties are exploring the idea, and in some cases, passing extra pay ordinances. Outside of California, Seattle became the first outside of the state to pass a grocery extra pay mandate. In January, CGA filed a lawsuit against the City of Long Beach, which was the first local government to enact an emergency grocery extra pay mandate. The Association and its legal committee believe these mandates are unconstitutional, and we have vowed to provide a legal challenge to any jurisdiction considering extra pay. CGA also enlisted the support of a well-regarded public affairs firm to add strategic thinking and bandwidth to our team. In fact, it’s the same firm we partnered with during the overbuying that rocked the industry in March and April of 2020. Together, we have been successful at ensuring your voice is heard across national, state, and local media and across numerous media formats.

While unpleasant, the extra pay policy debate has showcased the benefit of the Association. CGA is the embodiment of the grocery industry’s collective interests, and therefore, able to present a unified voice that is greater than its sum parts. Although 2021, like 2020, appears set to continue to challenge us all in new and innovative ways, with your fantastic support, your Association is up to the task. ■