Culture Chronicles NUGGET MARKET, INC. • SUMMER 2020
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Culture Chronicles
e are a family of dedicated people with a love of food and a passion for excellent service. But you already knew that! The first line of our mission statement says a lot about who we are and what we stand for, but it’s one thing to know these words by heart, and something
else entirely to live them every day. Culture Chronicles is here to show you our core values in action. As you flip through these pages, keep a lookout for fun facts, good times, and friendly faces—we’ve got them all in spades!
Do you know all our stores’ nicknames?
Store 12: The Show
Store 1: Aces
Store 14: Shark Tank
Store 2: Mighty Mace Mavericks
Store 15: The Icebox
Store 5: Florin Kings
Store 16: The Warriors
Store 6: Team Sixcess
Store 17: Bear Squad
Store 7: Wolf Pack
Store 21: Blackjack
Store 8: Gladi8tors
Store 30: Team 30 Rock
Store 9: Gold 9ers
Warehouse and NMK: The Hive
Store 11: Phoenix
Fun fact: Store 14 is “Shark Tank” because Tiburon is how you say shark in Spanish, and Store 1 is ACES because they focus on “Attitude, Cleanliness, Execution and Safety!”
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TABLE OF CONTENTS RAVE...................................................... pg 4 Family.................................................... pg 8 Fun......................................................... pg 12 Positive Attitude................................... pg 20 Integrity................................................. pg 28 Communication.................................... pg 32 Servant Leaders.................................... pg 34 Rewards & Recognition........................ pg 40 Community & Sustainability................ pg 48 Benefits................................................. pg 54
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RAVE:
RESPECT, APPRECIATE & VALUE EVERYONE
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ive me an R! Give me an A! Give me a V! Give me an E! What does that spell…? RAVE!! We spend a lot of time talking about the importance of RAVE here at Nugget Markets, because that helps us keep it front of mind in everything we do. We may not always realize it, but our words and actions all have a wake— those waves and ripples that extend out and impact how others feel. Everything you do (and everything you don’t do) affects the people around you far more than you realize! RAVE runs deep at our company and always has. Likewise, diversity is celebrated and championed here, and always will be. As our cofounder Mack Stille always said and believed, “There is only one race… the human race!” We’re not just a company, but a family of diverse and wonderful people. We welcome and celebrate the individual talents and personalities that everyone brings to the table, because our differences make us stronger. In our stores and out in the community, RAVE guides us in all our interactions. It’s at the heart of everything we do, a guiding light for how we treat one another and the firm foundation for how we approach business as a whole. When we all come together in a spirit of RAVE, incredible things can happen!
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Diversity & RAVE We are proud of the diversity in our leadership team, and in all of U! Every day, we all live RAVE with each other, and share our culture to Respect, Appreciate and Value Everyone with our guests and communities, too. Thank you, team, for being you!
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Family FOSTER LOYALTY AND CAMARADERIE, PROMOTING PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL GROWTH.
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t Nugget Markets, we’re not just a bunch of coworkers—we’re family! We work hard to create an environment where everyone feels like they belong and are truly valued. We pull for each other. We celebrate with each other. We cry and hurt with each other. We help and support each other. We lift each other up. We are honest with each other. And we truly want the best for each other—just like you would for your family! In fact, when our team fills out their annual Great Place to Work surveys, “family” is the number-one response to the question, “What makes this company special?” Many associates refer to their teams as their second family and say it feels like family here. That might explain why we’ve been on Fortune Magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” list for the last 16 years!
We ranked #24 in 2021!
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From our very first store in 1926 to our evergrowing family spanning 15 stores nearly 100 years later, we’re a family business through and through. We truly care about supporting one another, and this core value helps us develop strong bonds and trust each other. From new hires to veterans in every store and department, our blend of unique quirks, talented individuals and real camaraderie create one big team we’re proud to call our family.
A Great Place to Work We’re thrilled to have earned a spot on Fortune Magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” list for 16 years in a row!
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Congrats, Grads! Even without an official ceremony, 2020 graduates still deserve all the pomp and circumstance for their achievements. Our stores celebrated graduating associates with photos in the break room and a custom cake for each graduate. Way to go, grads!
Happy Retirement! When Dave Welch, Store Director at Store 12, retired after his 32-year career at Nugget Markets, we made sure to send him off in style!
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Fun Fun F
un is a core value?? You bet it is! It’s also in our associate expectations not once or twice, but three times! Why do we take fun so seriously? Because we believe in working hard and playing hard—we do it every day! From store parties and celebrations to companywide rafting trips or snow days and our annual Bag-Off competition, fun is basically our middle name.
Bag-Off The reputation of Bag-Off precedes itself, but this year’s Jurassic Market-themed event really roared! At our company’s biggest event of the year, associates from each store competed to see who was the best bagger and would get to go on to compete at the national Bag-Off championship. In 2019, baggers from each store rose to the challenge, and in between rounds, the audience enjoyed a robot dinosaur fight, great prizes and even a dance-off by the Store Directors. The judges awarded the coveted Spirit Cat to El Dorado Hills for their amazing spirit, and the bagger who emerged victorious was… Nick F. from Vacaville! Fun fact: he also went on to place third in the national championship!
SMILE, LAUGH, CELEBRATE, ENJOY HUMOR AND HAVE A GOOD TIME!
In order to have fun, you need to enjoy what you’re doing, and it certainly helps to be surrounded by other fun people who love what they’re doing. That’s why we go out of our way to hire associates who have a clear love of food and a passion for serving others. There’s nothing better than having a great time while exceeding expectations! Another reason we love to have fun, is because it creates a light-hearted and friendly vibe you can feel in the store. We even have a little saying in this company: Don’t ever lose your sense of humor! Around here, it’s encouraged to let your unique personality come out—we like to call it letting out your inner dork. ;) We all have that side to us, so let’s celebrate it! At Nugget Markets, we’re always looking for ways to make things fun, exciting and spontaneous. Where else are you going to be encouraged to have three times the fun? :D
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UC Olympics In order to compete in Bag-Off, you have to have baggers. So, what are the Utility Clerks (UCs) at Food 4 Less to do? Participate in the inaugural UC Olympics, of course! This awesome event highlights the skills of our amazing Utility Clerks, including shagging carts, returning go-backs and more.
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Twelve associates competed in teams of three at the first UC Olympics, with many associates from throughout the company cheering them on. In the end, “The Vicktors” brought home the gold, and the UC who gave the most spirit at the event was also awarded with the Spirit GOAT. Our teams truly are the Greatest Of All Time!
Snow Day Associates of all experience levels wet their feet on the slopes of Tahoe this winter. From novice to expert, from skier to snowboarder, our associates showed up ready to take on the mountain! We’ll be back on the slopes next season!
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Fun Fun Coupe Du Nug De La Boulangerie The competition was fierce at our Annual Coupe Du Nug De La Boulangerie to see who could bake the most beautiful baguette. When the flour settled, Store 1 (Woodland) was the bread winner!
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Fun with Fromage Where else but Nugget Markets can you learn from our resident Cheesemongers the art of making a spectacular cheese board?
Parks & Rec Along with river rafting and skiing, amusement parks are another grand adventure we’ve taken our teams on! From the stores to Six Flags and everywhere in between, our associates sure know how to have fun together!
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Store Parties Family and fun… not just our core values, but also how we choose to party!
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Guess That Kiddo Can U guess the baby picture of your fellow associate? Try and spot your Store Director or another familiar face! SUMMER 2020 |
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Positive Attitude GREAT ATTITUDES CREATE GREAT OUTCOMES.
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f there’s one thing we’re positive about, it’s everything! There’s no doubt positive attitude is a driving force for us, and it all starts at the top. If our CEO and other leaders aren’t optimistic, enthusiastic and encouraging, how can they expect the rest of the company to be? Our company is built around being positive, because attitudes have the power to lift up or tear down a team. No matter the skills or talent, attitudes determine our success or failure.
Rallying Through Adversity Now more than ever, one thing is clear—U Make Us Better! Whether through wildfires, earthquakes or power outages, a global health crisis or social justice concerns, U continue to show up for each other and our guests every single day. When most businesses made the decision to shut down, U went “all in” to stay open and serve our communities. While other grocery companies were going dark, U became the lighthouse helping our communities navigate through the dark. As a team, our grocery family consistently provides calm during the chaos. No matter the situation, U continue to rally! No matter what was thrown at you, U made it happen! Thank U, team!
Abilities + Attitude = Results And we’re not just going after average or good results; we’re going after extraordinary! Did you know positive attitude is one of the most important attributes we look for in applicants? We can teach new associates almost anything, but if they don’t have a positive attitude, they’re not going to fit in with our culture. As a company, we strive to keep that positive attitude alive and thriving. We pride ourselves on positive coaching and team building, which allow us to be candid in our conversations and allow coaching to be received from a place of support. Positivity also helps us frame problems as opportunities, clouds by their silver linings and obstacles as challenges to help us grow. We’ve all flexed our positivity hard this last year and have come through it all even stronger than before. Thank you, team, for keeping spirits high for ourselves and our guests!
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Thank U!! Thank you, team, for always rallying through adversity! Whether we’re facing earthquakes, wildfires, power outages or pandemics, you continually take care of our guests through thick and thin, and they truly appreciate your efforts. When this company faces adversity, WE SHINE thanks to all of U!
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COVID-19 The health and safety of our guests and associates has always been our top priority at Nugget Markets. During a global pandemic, our focus on safety is crucial. We were an early adopter of face coverings, temperature checks, checkstand shields and one-way aisles. Plus, we were the first to require our guests to follow our safety protocols, too! No matter the circumstances, we’re all in this together!
Showing the Love! You know what’s even more uplifting than a basket full of puppies? How love, family and teamwork can keep us together even when things seem like they’re falling apart. Even through a global pandemic, our associates continued to encourage each other day after day. Nugget Markets also shared the love with our communities by supporting local nonprofits committed to ending hunger, supporting safety and providing shelter.
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All Smiles (Even Under the Masks!) When it comes to sharing the love, it starts with us! Our associates demonstrate that perfectly with the camaraderie they share with each other through thick and thin, each and every day!
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Spirit Week To keep things light and add a little fun, several stores hosted their own Spirit Weeks! To celebrate, associates dressed up with different themes on different days. For example, associates felt the easy vibes on Aloha Day, went back in time for Decades Day, showed their team spirit on Sports Day and channeled their inner superheroes on Superhero Day—but who are we kidding? Our associates are superheroes every day!
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INTEGRIT 28 |
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ESTABLISH A FOUNDATION OF TRUST, SAFETY AND ETHICAL BEHAVIOR FOR ALL GUEST, VENDOR AND ASSOCIATE INTERACTIONS.
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ust like our favorite superheroes and most admirable role models, we live with integrity on and off the clock at Nugget Markets. Integrity is one of our core values, and that means doing the right thing even when no one is looking. It’s not taking the easy way out, but always doing what we know we should. Sometimes it’s more difficult or challenging, but it’s always worth it. Integrity also means being honest in words and actions. Getting results at all costs is not what we do here. We’ve actually parted ways with some very talented leaders as a result of them not displaying the integrity needed in certain situations. That’s because integrity is a nonnegotiable. The culture of a company is the behavior of its leaders, and it all starts with integrity. Honesty and reliability also build trust, both with each other and with our guests and community. Transparency is key and helps prove the quality in everything we do and stand for. From only offering the freshest foods to our guests to owning up when we make a mistake and doing everything in our power to make it right, sincerity, trust and follow-through are essential. It’s just what we do!
Amazing Associates Our company is loaded with world-class associates who go out of their way to help our guests, fellow associates and complete strangers every day! From helping when a guest’s wallet is lost to brightening someone’s birthday with a bouquet of flowers, even our smallest acts of kindness have a BIG impact! A shining example of going beyond the call of duty is Jeremy Jones from our Training Team, who witnessed a serious car accident and immediately sprang into action to help. The fire captain who arrived later was so impressed with Jeremy’s efforts, he personally called and sent an email to pass along his gratitude!
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Steadfast Service We’re always here for our community, no matter the circumstances. When desperate times called for desperate measures, we went above and beyond to support our guests when they needed it most. We’re all in this together!
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Many Thanks! As essential workers, our amazing team worked harder than ever to keep things running smoothly and cleanly through every crisis that came our way. Our hard work didn’t go unnoticed—our community shared the love online, in person and with signs of encouragement!
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Are U in the Know…? From our daily U-Tube messages to our seasonal Lil’ Nuggets publication and more, we make it easy to stay informed. Not only do these write-ups share valuable company info, they can also be worth your while financially speaking if you happen to spot your U-Card! If you want to share something with us, talk to a leader or drop an anonymous message in our U Matter Box. On a larger scale, we host monthly Communication Task Force meetings to keep us all on the same page companywide!
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Communicatio
YOU CAN’T SPELL “COMMUNICATION” WITHOUT “U” AND “I”!
At Nugget Markets, open dialogue is essential, and we’re always trying to improve how we communicate with each other. When it comes down to it, we’re in the people business, and our people process is vital! That’s why we have an open-door policy at every level, and encourage robust, clear and honest conversations.
As a company, we’re all ears! If something is going on, we want to know about it and help resolve whatever it is. The only way we can grow is by listening, and we’re all about constant improvement. Clear, two-way communication has been key to our success, along with one-onone conversations where we can get to know each other, find common ground and make true connections. There’s only one rule about communication at Nugget Markets: it must be done with RAVE!
We make sure to listen as much as we speak and value what U have to say—some of our best ideas come from our associates! A few of the ways you can connect with us and vice versa include U Matter Boxes for anonymous questions and suggestions, our U-Tube messaging boards, Communication Task Force (CTF) meetings, reviews, 360 reviews for leaders and more. Don’t forget to stay in the know—find your U-Card and you could win cold hard cash!
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EXTRAORDINARY
Women @ Work
J OA N N A P E R E Z
EMMA WEST
What sorts of roles have you served over the years?
JP: I was a coffee bar manager for a few years, then moved to specialty foods, housewares and general merchandise, eventually becoming a grocery manager. I became MIC (Manager-in-Charge) at our Corte Madera store and then Assistant Store Director while running our grocery department.
JESSICA NGUYEN
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ant to know what makes Nugget Markets so extraordinary? Just ask some of our emerging leaders: Jessica Nguyen, Kitchen Manager at Nugget Markets, Novato; Emma West, Person-in-Charge at Nugget Markets, Tiburon; and Joanna Perez, Assistant Store Director at Nugget Markets, Corte Madera. How did you get started at Nugget Markets?
EW: I was looking for a part-time job that could accommodate my school schedule, and Nugget Markets was my #1 choice. They were on Fortune’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” list for the past 10 years (now 15!). JP: I started at Nugget Markets while attending UC Davis. A friend of mine worked there and told me to apply for a vacant coffee bar position. I did and here I am today, 12 years later! JN: A family member who was working at Nugget Markets suggested I apply while I was in college. I was hesitant because I had no background in food, but I gave it try, and here I am 10 years later as the kitchen manager!
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JN: I started as a Courtesy Clerk, then transitioned into the deli where I became Top Gun and then Floor Captain. I was Floor Captain and Kitchen Manager at a few stores for about seven years, and have been Kitchen Manager in Novato for three years and counting! EW: I began as a Courtesy Clerk and was promoted to Checker. I wanted more responsibility, so I started training incoming Checkers, learned how to do bookkeeping and then became a PIC (Person-in-Charge) in Tiburon almost two years ago.
How has Nugget Markets helped you grow personally and in your career?
JN: Nugget Markets is truly a family. From the beginning, Nugget Markets has always given me every opportunity to grow professionally. Their leaders make a big impact and truly support you through every challenge to make you better. EW: It’s important for women to be represented in the places they work and help make the big decisions, and I’ve been surrounded by amazing women who have helped my growth in the company. Nugget Markets also creates a culture where you can make mistakes and learn from them while feeling safe. JP: I owe a lot to Nugget Markets—I’ve become more patient, flexible, receptive and a better leader! Nugget Markets sees us as people whom, if invested in, can become stronger individuals and stronger leaders. This really is a great place to work!
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Servant Leaders
ervant leadership runs deep at Nugget Markets. You could even say it’s our foundation—just think of our organization chart! To see what we mean, simply visualize a pyramid, then flip it over. At Nugget Markets, our CEO is at the bottom, who supports our executive team, who serves our store directors and store leadership teams, all working together to support our associates at store level, who in turn serve our guests at the very top!
Store Directors
Kanoa Aipia Store Director,
Rodney Beebe Store Director,
Corte Madera
Woodland
Philippe Chordas Store Director,
Erica DeGray Store Director,
Jonathan Giannini Store Director,
Roseville
El Dorado Hills
Davis, Covell
Erick St. John
Quen ine Lambert Store Director,
Cody Moody
Store Director, Sacramento, Florin
Chaunté Chastang Store Director, Novato
Davis, Mace
Store Director, Sonoma Market
Angel Nolasco Store Director, West Sacramento
Jazzmen Simms Store Director, Tiburon
Marylin Thorne Store Director, Vacaville
Brian Wagner Store Director, Elk Grove
Randy Watson Store Director, Fork Li t
Randy Wehman Store Director, Food 4 Less,
HELPING EVERYONE ON OUR WORLD-CLASS TEAM REACH THEIR GOALS!
As you can see, our leaders are fully invested in their teams and are here to serve. These amazing people lead by example and put their associates first. They get in the mix and work alongside everyone else. Their #1 priority is to support their team’s goals and help their associates thrive and get to the next level by fostering an environment of family, positive attitude and fun (sound familiar?). Speaking of reaching the next level, did you know more than 95% of our leadership positions are filled from within? Part of our commitment to being servant leaders is to help our associates develop into servant leaders themselves! To do that, we offer a variety of opportunities for our team to learn and grow, including on-the-job training, mentorship and our Leadership Nugget program. With fun internal events like friendly department competitions and training exercises, associates can learn and grow in a fun and engaging way!
Woodland
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On the Move We love to promote from within, so when Greg Di Dio made the move to Human Resources, Marylin Thorne took the reins as Store Director of Store 11. Go team!
Coach of the Month & Year No matter what stage you’re at or what experience you have, everyone needs a good mentor in their life. We like to recognize the amazing leaders who help us grow on our road to constant improvement as Coaches of the Month, and the ultimate coach is distinguished as our Coach of the Year! 36 |
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Disney Day Since we value working hard and having fun, we took our stores’ core leadership teams to Disneyland for an exciting getaway! What better place to go for team bonding and celebration than the happiest place on Earth?
A few lucky leaders from Store 1 had the chance to meet Bob Iger, executive chairman and former CEO of the Walt Disney Company. It was a nice surprise since our leadership team just finished his book! SUMMER 2020 |
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Global Leadership Training Day As part of our Global Leadership Training Day, every leader from every store comes together to learn about harassment prevention, celebrate Düers and hear from motivational speakers. In 2019, everyone also learned about implicit bias, remembered the legacy of Gene Stille and heard an inspiring presentation by Robert Mendez Jr. (a high school football coach born without arms or legs) about the power of the mantra, “Who says I can’t?” 38 |
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Leaders in the Making What’s the secret to building a great leader? Some say it’s participating in Leadership Nugget! Now in its 15th year, Leadership Nugget provides associates the opportunity to learn more about each department and the inner workings of our business through intimate classes taught by our Corporate Directors and members of our Corporate Office like Human Resources and Marketing. Aside from learning about the business, Nougats also get the chance to learn from each other and learn more about themselves through projects and other character-building opportunities. The sky’s the limit!
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WAREHOUSE
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Rewards & Recognition I
f you’ve been with the company for any length of time, you’ve probably realized by now that positive praise and rewarding excellence are common occurrences around here. That’s because positive reinforcement is our jam. We like to celebrate our amazing team, validate hard work and reward the behavior we want to see— it’s key to healthy development and positivity! Whether we realize it or not, all day long we’re either filling or dipping from people’s buckets. Empty buckets lead to feeling underappreciated or undervalued, but when our buckets are full, we feel amazing! We like to fill buckets by showing appreciation, recognizing someone’s true value, shining a light on their achievements, paying attention and giving awards (just to name a few). As an added bonus, filling buckets is beneficial for the filler, too—it feels good to make people feel good!
On a larger scale, stores can earn the monthly Magical Service Wand for best guest service or the quarterly Sustainability Jar for greenest practices. Each year, two stores earn the Safety Trophy, and one store claims the highly sought-after President’s Cup—though in an unprecedented turn of events, two stores earned the 2019 President’s Cup: Store 9 and Store 16! Huge thanks to everyone on our world-class team!
U ROCK! U MAKE US BETTER! U ARE WHAT MAKES NUGGET MARKETS EXTRAORDINARY!
Don’t forget, along with leaders recognizing associates, everyone can seek out accomplishments and recognize each other. From the humble high five to U Make Us Better (UMUB) cards which could earn you a big spin for a cash prize, Düer shirts and Peep’s Choice awards to Spotlight on Service and more, the ways we recognize our team (and encourage our associates to do the same!) go on and on. SUMMER 2020 |
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Spotlight On Service The Spotlight on Service program recognizes those departments and associates who tirelessly and without question give the absolute best service in our whole company. Way to go, team!
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Congratulations Store 9 & Store 16! President’s Cup The President’s Cup is awarded to the store with the best execution throughout the year, including meeting sales and labor goals, delivering on our 5 Basics to Increase Sales (Quality, Cleanliness, Stock Level, Signage & Accurate Pricing, and Guest Satisfaction), maintaining cleanliness and safety, continually raising the standards of operational execution, and giving our guests world-class service. SUMMER 2020 |
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Spirit Cat Our CEO, Eric Stille, honors the store who demonstrates the most incredible spirit during Bag-Off with the coveted Spirit Cat!
Magical Service Wand The Magical Service Wand is awarded monthly to the two stores who best execute our company goal of guest satisfaction.
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Düers We recognize associates who are all in as Düers—the weekly recognition comes with a chance to spin the wheel, and our Düers of the Month win the prized Düer shirt!
U Make Us Better Our U Make Us Better (UMUB) cards and U-Rock program allow all associates to recognize and reward each other for doing a great job on a daily basis. UMUB cards also offer the chance to win big money!
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Mack Stille Legacy Award Once a year, an innovative and dedicated associate who exemplifies our company philosophies, core values and servant leadership receives the Mack Stille Legacy Award—the highest individual honor at Nugget Markets!
Safety Award
Associate of the Year
Each quarter, stores strive to earn an “A+” in their safety grade, which not only reflects their efforts to keep all guests and associates safe, but also puts them in the running to earn the coveted Safety Trophy. Congrats to Store 9 and Store 30, the Safety Award winners for 2019!
Our Associate of the Year award honors the associate from each store doing the most brilliant job of providing “total guest satisfaction” and exemplifying cooperation and teamwork all year long!
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Associate Referral Program Since U are so awesome, we want more people like you! That’s the idea behind our Associate Referral Program—great people who already work for Nugget Markets referring other wonderful people to join our world-class team. On average, our hiring team receives 1,000– 5,000 applications per month, so associate referrals are extremely valuable. To sweeten the deal, associates can earn up to $500 for each successfully hired applicant! Not only that, every referring associate is entered to win a grand prize. Past prizes have included two tickets to Disneyland, a gift card to The French Laundry or $1,000 cash. It pays to help our hiring team!
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Major Donations & Grants for the First Half of 2020: $100,000 donation to Center for Land-Based Learning $100,000 donation to Pride Industries (a nonprofit social enterprise and the leading employer of people with disabilities)
$100,000 donation to various nonprofits that further education about social injustice and provide support to Black and Brown Lives Matter
$100,000 donation to various local food banks for COVID-19 relief $1,085,270 of product donated to various food banks and shelters to help feed the hungry $263,845 of store-level donations furthering education, community involvement, health and
wellness, elder care, sustainability, agricultural preservation and public safety (law enforcement and fire) Grand total of Community Giving for the first half of 2020 is… $1,749,115! Thank you, team, for making these donations possible! 48 |
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&
Community Sustainability SUPPORTING OUR NEIGHBORS AND THE PLANET WE CALL HOME
F.I.S.H.
In Sonoma, we’re proud to partner with Friends in Sonoma Helping (FISH) and donate food to feed our local community.
When you compare Nugget Markets’ generosity on a per-store level, we set the bar! For example, our $100,000 donation for social justice and BLM causes equates to $6,666.66 per store (15 stores). By comparison, Safeway/Albertsons, with 2,323 stores, donated 5 million dollars, which comes out to $2,152 per store. Our grant was 3 times greater than Albertsons’ donation on a store-count basis! In other words, Albertsons would have had to give nearly $15,500,000 to equal our donation.
Safeway/Albertsons: 2,323 stores X $6,666.66 = $15,486,651.18
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ere at Nugget Markets, we’re dedicated to taking care of the communities we call home. One of the ways we do that is by supporting local causes and nonprofits through donations, sponsorships, our Community Scrip Program and participation in local and regional events—you may have even helped with some of these! We’re truly honored to help make a difference by working with local food banks and other community partners. From river clean-ups to kids’ farmers markets and more, we showcase the fun, love and serving spirit no matter where we go! Another way we take care of our communities and Earth as a whole is with our amazing sustainability program. We SEE sustainability with our commitment to Social Responsibility (taking care of people), Environmental Stewardship (taking care of the planet) and Economic Vitality (taking care of business, sustainably speaking). Thanks to our efforts, we’ve even been recognized with some prestigious awards! How do we do it? We have an awesome team of Green Gurus led by our Sustainability Coordinator, who all work tirelessly to keep us sustainable. We start by focusing on reducing waste—since 2015, we’ve diverted 12 million pounds of recyclable material out of the landfill! We also focus on how best to use our resources. For example, the food we don’t sell is donated (helping our community) or turned into compost. Beyond that, we continue to focus on U. With your great ideas, U help us be more sustainable, and with your commitment to important causes, U help us support local nonprofits, too! SUMMER 2020 | Culture Chronicles | 49
Community Fieldwork Project To help support U and the causes U care about, Nugget Markets is working on rolling out our Community Fieldwork Project. The goal of this new program is to empower future generations, fortify our neighborhoods, cultivate environmental change and inspire philanthropy. Through camaraderie and fun, we can strengthen the positive impact we have on our communities. We can’t wait to get started!
ExtraFood On average, we donate 100,000 pounds of food to ExtraFood annually!
Placer Food Bank Turkey Drive It’s all hands on deck at 2019’s Turkey Drive in partnership with Placer Food Bank—the bird’s the word!
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Yolo Food Bank We are proud to partner with Yolo Food Bank through monetary and food donations to support their mission of ending hunger in Yolo County.
Putah Creek Clean-Up Associates from Store 12 (Covell) pitched in at their local Putah Creek for a river clean-up!
Food Literacy Center Kid’s Farmers Market Nugget Markets joined Food Literacy Center at their Kids’ Farmers Markets where students were given play money to “purchase” enough healthy fruits and vegetables to fill a Nugget Markets paper bag!
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Sustainability Jar Every quarter, our greenest store is recognized with the Sustainability Jar!
Earth Day Celebrations At Nugget Markets, we celebrate Earth Day all month long! Guests had the opportunity to spin the wheel for sustainable prizes, color Earth Day pictures and speak with local waste agencies and food banks.
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Green Guru Team With the help of our Sustainability Coordinator and dedicated Green Guru team, we’re constantly improving our sustainability impact through eco-friendly actions like reducing water and energy usage, recycling, diverting food waste, donating to nonprofits and more. It’s not always easy being green, but it sure is worth it!
May is Bike Month Cycling is an environmentally friendly mode of transportation any time of the year, but May is Bike Month is an especially good time to show your bicycle some love!
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RAQUEL RODRIGUEZ
SHERI BOONE Director Of Payroll & Benefits
JILLIAN MATTA Human Resources - Benefits Team
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Human Resources - Benefits Team
r u o s t t e fi e ne ! M e am B e T
Benefits W
e’ve said it before and we’ll say it again—U are our competitive edge, which is why we strive to support our amazing team with extraordinary benefits! At Nugget Markets, we want you to have peace of mind— from health coverage to retirement and even job security (we’ve never had a layoff in our 94-year history!), we’re here for you.
Along with the more well-known benefits that come from working here, we offer a lot of lesser-known perks as well. From working in a fun, diverse and positive environment to being recognized for a job well done and empowered to grow professionally, there is a myriad of advantages to being part of our worldclass team. If these examples sound familiar, it’s because that’s what our whole Culture Chronicles is about! When it comes down to it, these values we live by every day create a high-trust, high-execution culture we all benefit from. Together we use these principles as a strong foundation to create a very special company that celebrates everyone’s unique diversity and talents. Thank you to all our amazing associates for being a part of our extraordinary family, and for helping make Nugget Markets such a great place to work!
We are here to help you with everything related to benefits! Benefits@nuggetmarket.com English: (530) 399-3355 (select the benefits option) Spanish: (530) 399-3375
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Comprehensive Health Insurance
MEDICAL, DENTAL, VISION, PRESCRIPTIONS
Medical (including prescriptions):
Employee Assistance Program (EAP):
$0 premium cost for your coverage through Anthem Blue Cross
$0 cost to you
• PPO (Preferred Provider Organization): Having a PPO plan allows you to make appointments directly with specialists without having to get a referral from your primary care provider to be seen. • Provider Network = Anthem Blue Cross: Our network is very broad, meaning there are a lot of providers to choose from versus a narrow network with fewer choices. • HealthComp is the administrator of our plan, and you can access your account via their website. You can also reach out to HealthComp with questions at www.healthcomp.com or 1-800-442-7247. LiveChat is a new way to interact with HealthComp regarding claims, ID cards and much more. • TeleMedicine: The ability to have a video appointment with your provider. • NurseLine: Access to a registered nurse 24/7. • LiveHealthOnline: The ability to schedule and be seen by one of their providers. • Prescriptions: Utilize Southern Scripts’ website, www.southernscripts.net, to locate first choice pharmacies (likely to save you money), check prices and more. Dental:
$0 premium cost for your coverage
• Freedom to go to the provider of your choice. • Preventive and diagnostic services do not accumulate towards the maximum paid by insurance per calendar year. Vision:
$0 premium cost for your coverage
• Our plan is VSP (Vision Service Plan). To find a provider, visit www.vsp.com or call 1-800-877-7195. 56 |
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• Confidential counseling and referral service. • 24/7 telephone access to licensed professionals: 1-888-628-4824 • Access to childcare and elder care resources, financial and legal consultations and information, identity theft prevention and recovery. • Valuable information online: www.GuidanceResources.com
o User name: LFGsupport
o Password: LFGsupport1
Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) FSAs allow you to contribute pre-tax earnings into an account through payroll deductions, which can then be used to cover out-of-pocket expenses. Health Care FSA: You may enroll annually up to the IRS-allowed amount on a tax-free basis. This account is used to reimburse you for eligible healthcare expenses. Your total enrollment amount is available to you on the first day of the calendar year. Dependent Care FSA: You may enroll annually up to the allowed amount on a tax-free basis. This account is used to reimburse you for eligible dependent care expenses. Premium Only Plan: This is automatically done; no action is required by you. The Premium Only Plan allows you to pay the weekly dependent health premium deduction on a pre-tax basis. The deduction is taken before federal, state or FICA taxes are calculated.
Retirement Benefits
SAVE NOW SO YOU CAN PLAY LATER!
Nugget Markets 401(k) & Profit Sharing Retirement Plan
You may elect to contribute a percentage of each paycheck to your 401(k) on a tax deferred (traditional) and/or after-tax (Roth) basis. With either option, your 401(k) investment is fully portable if you should leave the company.
You are eligible to participate the first of the month following six (6) months of service if you are at least 20½ years of age. You may contribute up to the IRS annual contribution maximum! Nugget Markets contributes up to 4% per calendar year to your 401(k) account, which is comprised of two components: • Company Match: Up to a 2% contribution of earnings into your 401(k) account on a weekly basis. • Annual Company Contribution: 2% of your eligible wages for the calendar year. Note: You must be employed with us on December 31 in order to be eligible for the annual contribution. You are 100% vested after six (6) years of service.
Empower Retirement:
This company administers our 401(k) plan and is the gateway to accessing your 401(k) account. • User-friendly platform for participant engagement. • Make contribution percentage changes anytime—you are not limited to 4 times a year. • Many more options are available to answer questions and support your 401(k) needs. Contact Information: www.empowermyretirement. com or 1-855-756-4738 What is tax-deferred? Tax-deferred means your contribution is taken out of your check before federal and state taxes have been calculated. Because taxes are not taken out now but deferred, taxes are paid at the time of distribution. What is after-tax? After-tax means your contribution is taken out of your check after federal and state taxes have been calculated. Because taxes are taken out now, you will not be taxed on the gains your account has made at the time of distribution.
Automatic Enrollment: If you do not enroll yourself, we automatically enroll associates at 2%, unless you have opted out of participating in the 401(k) plan. Annual Automatic Increase: Your contribution will automatically increase by 1% every July until your contribution reaches 10%.
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Income Protection Benefits Group Term Life Insurance (GTL) & Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D)
EmployeeConnect
• $0 cost to you
offers professional, confidential services to help you and your loved ones improve your quality of life.
• Automatically enrolled when eligible • Only need to work an average of 22 hours a week to maintain coverage • Up to $60,000 GTL and up to an additional $60,000 AD&D if applicable
GuidanceResources.com Username: LFGSupport Password: LFGSupport1
LifeKeys
Long-Term Disability • $0 cost to you • Automatically enrolled when eligible
SM
provides access to a wide array of services to help you and your
• Only need to work an average of 22 hours a week to maintain coverage
loved ones through life’s ups
• Receive 60% of pre-disability income
whatever lies ahead.
What is a beneficiary and why is it important to have this information on file?
GuidanceResources.com First-time user: Enter Web ID: LifeKeys1
In the unfortunate event that you pass away, your designated beneficiary is the person(s) that will receive your GTL and 401(k) benefits. It is so important because we want to make sure your benefits are distributed to whom you want to receive them and make the process as easy as possible.
and downs—and prepare you for
TravelConnect
SM
is a comprehensive program that can bring help, comfort and reassurance if you face a medical emergency while traveling 100 or more miles from home. mysearchlightportal.com First-time user: Enter Group ID: LFGTravel123
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SM
Additional Benefits & Other Perks Vacation
Paid Holidays
• Earn up to five (5) weeks of vacation per year (vacation year = anniversary date to anniversary date).
• New Year’s Day
Return to Learn
• Independence Day
• You may request a payout of vacation time without taking time off.
• Labor Day Paid Time Off (PTO) • Earn up to 56 hours of PTO per calendar year.
Industry-Leading Wages
• Memorial Day
• Thanksgiving • Christmas Day
• You may request a payout of PTO without taking time off. Work on a Holiday?
10% Discount • 10% discount on purchases at any of our Nugget Markets family of stores.
Work-Life Balance
• You receive your card (it is also your U-Card) within a couple of weeks of joining the Nugget Markets family.
Flexible Work Schedules We have positions 24 hours a day, 7 days a week; there are options to find a position that fits with your life. Professional Development Opportunities Leadership Nugget: A yearlong enrichment program.
Bereavement Pay Receive up to 3 days per calendar year.
You will be paid at 1½ times your base rate if you work on a holiday.
Scholarships Nugget Markets is proud to award twelve (12) $1000 scholarships annually to associates and dependents of associates.
No layoffs in 94 years!
Note: These are only highlights! Please refer to the Associate Handbook and applicable Summary Plan Description (SPD) for complete details, or contact the Benefits Team.
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Learning Is FUN Ever wanted to be a part of a wine tasting? Visit a farm? Learn how to decorate a cake? Well, our associates are in luck because each year as a part of Return to Learn, associates get paid to show up and learn all this and more! In 2019, associates
got to choose from more than 50 different classes covering everything from food and exercise to grocery math and 401(k)! Return to Learn classes are taught by various leaders from Nugget Markets as well as some of our favorite vendors. What are some of your favorite Return to Learn memories?
HENRY’S BULLFROG BEES FARM TOUR
MEAL PREP AT HOME
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BAKE BREAD TO BREAK BREAD
BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE MEAL
EQUATOR COFFEES & TEAS ROASTERY TOUR
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On-the-Job Training Our Specialty Cheese Department came together to learn the art of breaking down whole wheels of cheese and slicing them into perfect sections before wrapping them in our premium Ovtene wrap. Say cheese!
P&L Meetings Who says meetings can’t be fun? Store 17 went on a roller coaster ride at their P&L Meeting!
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Scholarships Each year, Nugget Markets awards $12,000 in scholarships to associates or dependents of associates who are continuing their education. Scholarships are based on academic merit and evidence of outstanding character and leadership potential. If you’re pursuing your education, don’t forget to apply!
OUR 2019 WINNERS!
Congratulations to Our 2020 Scholarship Winners! GENE & JOAN STILLE SCHOLARSHIPS:
Jershaun Hollie - Store 6 (Deli) Esti Kovalchuk - Store 7 (Coffee Bar) Liliana Tapuro, Dependent of Leo Tapuro - Store 8 (Grocery) Evelina Perez - Store 9 (Coffee Bar) Nicholas Finnegan - Store 11 (Coffee Bar) Mia Reed - Store 12 (Bakery) Adrianna Carpenter - Store 12 (Bakery)
Callan Weiss - Store 16 (Front End) McKenna Zacher - Store 21 (Front End) Yajur Khadka, Dependent of Yuroj Khadka - Store 30 (Front End)
ADAM BAZARNIK SCHOLARSHIP: Lily Linaweaver - Store 12 (Courtesy Clerk)
BARRY ASHCRAFT SCHOLARSHIP: Isabella Ruport, Dependent of Craig Ruport - Warehouse
Associate Discount Cards & U-Cards
Associate Card Gene Stille 12345/9876 • A 10% discount will be applied when this card is scanned. Receipt must be filled out and signed for every purchase. • Only Nugget Market, Inc. associates and their immediate family members (with whom associates reside) may use this card. Card is non-transferrable. • This card may be used at any grocery store owned and operated by Nugget Market, Inc.
This year we rolled out our New Associate Discount Card and U-Card in one! When you’re doing your grocery shopping, just have the checker scan the barcode on the discount card and you’ll receive an automatic 10% discount. Talk about constant improvement—no more pre-loading for discounts and no more losing your U-Card! Thank you for all your hard work, team!
We appreciate your dedication and all you do. Thank you!
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5
CORE VALUES
COMPANY GOALS
MISSION STATEMENT
POSITIVE ATTITUDE
GUEST SATISFACTION
INTEGRITY
CONSTANT IMPROVEMENT
We are a family of dedicated people with a love of food and a passion for excellent service. We are committed to constant improvement, our people, and most importantly, guest satisfaction.
RAVE FAMILY FUN
WORLD-CLASS EMPLOYER
Our associates are our competitive edge — superior quality and great prices are just part of the bargain.