The Shelby Report of the Southeast 2024 Retailer of the Year
2024 Southeast Retailer of the Year
President: Grocer’s focus on ‘easy, fresh and affordable’ experience
Food Lion, a grocery store chain with 1,109 stores across 10 states in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern U.S., remains focused on providing an “easy, fresh and affordable” shopping experience for its customers. Key initiatives include store remodels, technology upgrades and community engagement through the company’s Food Lion Feeds program.
The company has been named The Shelby Report’s 2024 Southeast Retailer of the Year.
Meg Ham, president of North Carolina-based Food Lion, said the company opened four new locations in the past year and is in the process of remodeling hundreds of stores.
The remodels allow Food Lion to “bring new assortments, a fresh new look, new services and new programs to our marketplaces,” Ham said.
Food Lion invested $127 million in capital and celebrated the remodels of 76 stores in the Wilmington and Greenville, North Carolina, markets in 2023. It is in the process of remodeling 167 stores in the Raleigh, North Carolina, market.
Ham said a lot is involved in the remodeling process, which begins with talking to customers. She said the grocer wants to understand what is important to them and ensure that it can execute against its strategy of being “Easy, Fresh & Affordable. You can count on Food Lion… Every day!” to deliver on the needs of its customers.
“It includes talking to customers. It includes looking at all the elements of our store and ensuring they match up with our best, most current thinking,” Ham said.
“And then we literally go store by store and figure out what we need to add, what needs to be consistent across the marketplace and what needs to be different by store. It is a long, detailed process but all grounded in our brand, our strategy and our culture and listening to our customers.”
Food Lion has a consistent look and feel across its stores, she added, and part of any remodel is freshening the physical plants, so the décor, signage and messaging are consistent.
“We put a real emphasis on what our customers have told us is important to them, and that’s what we call home meal solutions. These items are ready to cook, ready to heat and ready to eat. We ensure that we have a relevant assortment in that area,” Ham said.
Another key area of focus is local products that are carried throughout the store. Also, Food Lion’s “core equity of price” is consistent across all stores.
“We look store by store to see what space is required to expand and what’s important in certain markets ,” Ham said. “But our overall strategy, look and feel, and great low prices are absolutely consistent across our marketplace.”
The remodels also are focused on providing a healthy assortment at an affordable price, Ham said.
To that end, Food Lion’s private brand, Nature’s Promise, offers natural, free-from and organic items.
“Part of a remodel is setting our assortments up for our latest and best thinking, and that would include incorporating our healthy assortment at an affordable price,” she said.
New self-checkouts will be included in all remodeled locations, and many will have an e-commerce option through Food Lion To Go. This includes pickup and delivery.
Food Lion has received EPA’s Energy Star of the Year Award for 23 consecutive years. “That’s one thing we’re incredibly proud of,” Ham said. “Every time that we touch our stores, we do work to make those stores more energy efficient.”
LED lights are used throughout the network, and the company continues to look at different ways to reduce refrigerant emissions to support overall efficiency.
Lowering food waste also “is incredibly important to us,” said Ham, adding that Food Lion does this in many ways. Each store across the company’s 10-state footprint has a partner in its food rescue program. Products that are not “perfect enough” to sell but are still edible are donated to the food banks.
Food Lion also spearheads large volunteer efforts and giving campaigns under the umbrella of its Food Lion Feeds platform to eliminate hunger in the communities it serves. Ham said this is an important focus for the company, as well.
Focus on ‘easy, fresh and affordable’
Food Lion’s strategy – “Easy, Fresh & Affordable. You can count on Food Lion… Every day!” – helps differentiate it from its competitors, Ham said.
Having smaller-sized stores also is an advantage.
“We’re smaller, easy to get in and out of, easy to know what’s for dinner, easy to know what the price of items are,” she said.
Fresh also is important, Ham noted, not only in fresh products but a fresh new look for the stores.
“Fresh products, quality products at affordable prices and convenience are Food Lion’s historical heritage of core equities, and they certainly live inside of what can differentiate us. But it’s also that consistent experience
Meg Ham
2024 Southeast Retailer of the Year
from store to store, day to day, hour to hour – you can count on us. We are part of the towns and cities that we serve.”
Ham added that Food Lion stores “aren’t just in the neighborhood, we are the neighborhood.”
“We care deeply about our neighbors, and we’re good citizens in the communities. We live there and we volunteer there, and we know what’s important in the neighborhoods. We’re there to be able to serve those needs. I think all of that coming together is what sets us apart inside of a marketplace, with our people, the quality of our products, the low prices that we have and the care that we have for our community.”
Food Lion Feeds is a testament to the care the company has for the communities it serves. Ham said the outreach program is “close to our heart” and is front and center for the work Food Lion does inside of its communities.
“We believe that no one should have to choose between dinner and rent or gas and groceries. That’s where we put a tremendous amount of our energy,” she said. “But we’re also a very sustainable organization. We care about the planet and care about the people that we come in contact with – all of that together is what differentiates us.”
Evolution of Food Lion Feeds
Starting in 1957 with Food Lion founder Ralph Ketner, Ham said caring for neighbors and putting food on local folks’ table has always been important to the company.
“It’s part of our DNA. Feeding communities and nourishing communities is incredibly important to us. And that starts from the very beginning,” she said.
Ham noted that Food Lion was a pioneer in starting food rescue programs at its stores. It continues to work to find innovative ways to provide more products to its food bank partners “and to get in the stomach of those who need it versus in a landfill.”
Over the past several years, Ham said Food Lion has focused more on how to shorten the lines at partner food banks. To that end, it is supporting local culinary kitchens, where participants can explore how to have a career as a chef, along with learning how to cook a healthy meal on a budget.
“It’s one of those things that can sustain a community and can actually nourish an entire family. The culinary kitchens are a huge piece for us,” she said.
Food Lion also has worked with local food banks and regional partners to establish gardens at the food bank locations. Workers grow the garden and use the produce harvested in the culinary kitchen and to serve clients. Ham said it also teaches people how to grow and cook items in their backyards.
“That’s another area where we’re trying to create a more sustainable difference,” she said.
Food Lion Feeds’ Guiding Stars Nights is a fun program where stores invite local elementary school classes to come in and learn math skills, how to shop on a budget and about some of the company’s healthy products.
Guiding Stars is a proprietary algorithm that takes all the ingredients of an item and identifies it as good (one star), better (two stars) or best (three stars).
“That’s something you can see on our products inside of our store. That’s where the essence of healthy eating and eating on a budget comes from,” Ham said.
“We’ve done what we’ve called Math Nights before where we have classes and just have fun ways to teach kids math and how to shop healthy, and we do those on a regular basis.”
Ham said the education aspect – whether through the culinary kitchens, local gardens or Guiding Stars Nights – is a way to “try to educate on a more sustainable way and give people the skills to nourish their families and set them up for success in life. We will continue to evolve and to find ways to grow and make a more sustainable difference in our communities.”
Food Lion also works with food bank partners on needs such as additional refrigeration space, by providing grants, or pantry makeovers, where associates come in and do the work. The retailer also has awarded grants to pantries that need refrigerated distribution vehicles to reach some of their communities.
Culture of empowering associates
Food Lion’s 82,000 associates are the company’s lifeblood. Ham described them as “fiercely passionate about our brand, our strategy and our culture.”
She said company leadership empowers and unleashes associates to “do what’s right in the moment for our customers. That is critically important to us, and I believe that sets us apart, also.
2024 Southeast Retailer of the Year
From page 14
“Our relationship with our associates is gold. We cherish our associates and value and respect their contribution.”
Food Lion annually recognizes associates who have reached a milestone of loyalty and service with the company. It celebrates long-term associates with 30, 35, 40, 45 and 50 years of service.
Ham said this recognition “speaks to the power of our people.”
Ham emphasized that each associate has a role to play in the organization, which is important to deliver on customers’ wants and needs, along with delivering on Food Lion’s promise to nourish families and set them up for success in life.
“People want to make a difference, and our job at Food Lion is to enable every associate to make a difference. I believe that’s what people want – to find fulfillment in their work. And that’s our mission, to have our associates find fulfillment in their work.”
Standing out in competitive market
Food Lion recognizes that its customers’ dollars are tight, Ham said, and is working to help them feed their families within their budgets.
“Anything and everything that we can do to enable them to lower their grocery budget, to be able to be healthy on a budget, that’s where our focus has been,” she said. “We’re laser focused on keeping our costs low so we can keep our prices low, so we can nourish our families that choose to shop with us.”
2024 Southeast Retailer of the Year
‘Proud to be an omnichannel retailer,’ delivering value to shoppers
Food Lion, a grocery store chain with a presence in 10 Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern states, makes continuous enhancements to meet the evolving needs of its customers.
Greg Finchum, EVP of retail operations for the grocer, which is The Shelby Report’s 2024 Southeast Retailer of the Year, outlined the focus on being a leading omnichannel retailer and fostering a culture that invests in associate development.
Finchum said Food Lion continues to listen to its customers to deliver on their expectations. He noted the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the growth of online grocery shopping and highlighted the need “for a robust omnichannel strategy.”
That growth came through Food Lion To Go in-store pickup and a partnership with Instacart for home delivery.
“I think at Food Lion, we did everything we could to meet [customers’] needs through what was certainly an unprecedented time,” Finchum said.
Food Lion is continuing to strengthen its omnichannel experience, whether online or in-store.
“We continue to deliver value in a way that enables [customers] to nourish their families to set them up for success in life. We’re proud to be an omnichannel retailer … We feel that it is absolutely a paramount business need for our customer today, and it’s our pleasure to deliver that.”
Finchum noted the brand offers Food Lion To Go Pickup and/or Home Delivery across its 10-state operating area.
The goal is to become fully integrated for the customer in all ways of digitally engaging with the Food Lion brand. To deliver the full breadth of the brand, he said it is “important that we meet customers’ changing needs.”
Not only is Food Lion looking at how technology can help its customers, but also support its associates. Finchum said having technology available in stores “creates for us a compelling case for the next generation of associates that we are evolving and becoming more modern inside of our store.”
Investing in associates
Finchum noted that Food Lion’s 82,000 associates include every generation that’s available to the workforce. The company wants all associates to feel they are part of the Food Lion mission.
“We want associates across all generations working for or with us to be fulfilled in their roles and know they make a difference in the towns and cities we serve. By meeting our associates’ needs, we create an atmosphere where they meet the needs of our customers who count on us to help nourish their families.”
Food Lion has a consistency and cadence of dialogue across the entire organization around what matters to its associates and its customers, according to Finchum.
Food Lion invests in its associates through multiple development offerings, which create a space for leaders to come together.
“We know it’s very important we invest in associates in-person and on a regular basis. An email does not connect you to the vision of what you and your team can deliver for a customer,” he said. “Dialogue, interaction, aligning on the mission is what will move us forward, and that’s why it’s important to have a cadence to invest in our associates.
“We’re very proud of the work that we do to invest in our associates and to deepen their connection to our brand, as well as deepen their connection to the role we each play in our organization.”
Finchum noted Food Lion has a responsibility to “create opportunities for our associates.”
“Everybody matters,” he said. “Everybody has a role to play in delivering a great experience for a customer. The investments that we continue to make in our portfolio of stores and the customer experience continue to provide opportunities for folks to grow, have success and certainly meet the needs they have in their lives.”
According to Finchum, one of the habits that Food Lion has is to “make sure we say thank you to each other.” One way the company does this is through its awards programs: Count on me, Fresh@Home, Service Awards and Store Manager of the Year. Organizationally, Food Lion celebrates these recognitions on an annual basis, he said.
Finchum, who began working at Food Lion in 1989, shares his leadership perspective.
“We’ve got to be great teachers, not tellers. We’ve got to be curious leaders not conclusive leaders, and I think that’s what’s required in this world today.”
Greg Finchum
2024 Southeast Retailer of the Year
From page 20
This approach empowers associates to take ownership of their roles and contribute their perspectives. Finchum said the goal is to create an environment
where associates feel motivated to deliver exceptional customer service and “create a little oasis of goodness that customers can count on at Food Lion.”
2024 Southeast Retailer of the Year
Strategy creates culture of belonging across company, communities
Fostering a caring and inclusive workplace has been a priority for more than three decades at Food Lion, The Shelby Report’s 2024 Southeast Retailer of the Year.
Linda Johnson, SVP of human resources and communications, said Food Lion’s commitment goes beyond words, creating a culture that extends to customers, communities and their entire associate base. Johnson said Food Lion continues to ensure the company is a place of belonging for everyone and that “it is woven into the fabric of who we are and what we do.”
‘Count on me’ – core of company culture
Food Lion’s company culture, “Count on me,” is more than just a slogan. It’s a philosophy built on four core behaviors: know what to do, make it easy, do your part and do everything with care.
“The name of this culture was implemented in 2014, which means we’re coming up on a decade of authenticating and integrating it into our culture,” Johnson said. “Our associates absolutely bring it to life by knowing what to do and making it easy for each other and our customers. Everyone has to do their part and most importantly, do it all with care.”
She noted that Food Lion’s culture is “more than just words on the wall.” It is the soul of the company.
“It’s more than just the words. I hear a lot of stories about how our associates demonstrate care in our culture, from small acts of kindness to the support of major projects. Our associates genuinely care about each other, and it’s demonstrated by their actions.”
To recognize these contributions, Food Lion hosts an annual “Count on me” Awards program, where each department selects a winner who models company behaviors every day to support the brand. Johnson said Food Lion takes the recognition a step further with retail associates nominating two additional corporate winners for their ongoing commitment to and support of the retail stores and associate communities within.
“All the nominations are touching. They’re emotional examples of our associates and support partners, representing the very best of what ‘Count on me’ means,” Johnson said.
The Store Manager of the Year awards also are special. Johnson said Food Lion’s store managers lead the “Count on me” culture. “It’s always heartwarming to see store managers support each other when you have the five
finalists,” she said, adding they also are supported by their store associates who watch via a video link.
“Our store managers are vital to our business. Recognizing their ongoing efforts is special for all 82,000 associates. Store managers truly represent the towns and cities we serve,” Johnson said.”
Nourishing towns and cities
“We have invested in efforts in the towns and cities that we serve … we have a responsibility as good corporate citizens to nourish and support all communities. We’ve always been purposeful in our investments, and we nourish people with more than food,” she said.
For example, Food Lion has donated millions of dollars in scholarships to support students at colleges and universities across its 10-state footprint, and they provide ongoing support to campus food pantries and nutrition lounges through Food Lion Feeds, their hunger-relief platform.
The company’s investment in its towns and cities extends to its neighbors who struggle with food insecurity so fewer people have to choose between dinner and rent or gas and groceries.
Nourishing careers
“I believe we have an engaged audience of associates working for us –many of them part time while in college – and it’s important to make sure that they know all the career opportunities that exist in our company,” Johnson said. “Our workforce is comprised of associates who bring different experiences which contributes to better business results, and we want to inspire our associates to grow their careers with us. And we seek perspectives from associates to inform and guide our career and talent programs. That’s important to us, as it’s our associates who bring our brand, strategy and culture to life every single day.
“By nourishing associates at all stages of their careers, they are engaged with us and continue to grow here.”
Food Lion associates are celebrated through annual year of service awards, marking milestones of 30, 35, 40, 45 and 50 years with the company. Johnson said in 2023 Food Lion recognized three associates who celebrated 50 years of service, and in 2024, the company recognized five.
“To have that kind of career longevity is a testament to who we are as a brand and employer of choice. There’s a lot of tenure in our organization,” she said. “It’s special to us and our associates who have found a place of belonging and a career path that works for them and a culture that cares.”
Food Lion’s 10 business resource groups also play a role in creating a place of belonging for everyone. Each BRG has associate participation from across all demographics and work experiences. BRGs reinforce Food Lion’s brand, strategy and culture, and each group is partnered with a business leader across the company to support Food Lion strategic business initiatives.
Food Lion is also purposeful about the benefits and offerings for its associates, “to help them live their best lives,” she added.
Healthy Foundations, Food Lion’s awardwinning HR strategy, is a game-based training built on four pillars of well-being: financial management, health and wellness, career and education, and community. Healthy Foundations, which has reached more than 99 percent of current associates, is “one more example of how culture is just so personal to us,” Johnson noted. Please see page 26
Linda Johnson
From page 24
The connection between Food Lion associates and the communities in which they live is a vital part of company culture. They give back by volunteering through a variety of Food Lion Feeds and other community partnerships, such as preparing meals, building community pantries, mentoring underserved youth, building ramps for veterans and many other ways to helping neighbors in need.
“We’re passionate about nourishing our neighbors and setting them up for success in life,” Johnson said. “Through charitable giving and volunteer work, our associates absolutely deliver, and they deliver our culture every single day.”
2024 Southeast Retailer of the Year
2024 Southeast Retailer of the Year
2024 Southeast Retailer of the Year
‘Our promise is to nourish families and set them up for success’
Food Lion is a grocery store that prioritizes customers. It does this through its strategy: “Easy, Fresh & Affordable. You can count on Food Lion… Every day!”
Deborah Sabo, SVP of marketing, said even as time passes and customer needs change, Food Lion stays focused on the “fundamental truth” of its strategy.
“That is how we create a more enhanced shopping experience,” she said. “Our promise is to nourish families and set them up for success in life.”
How customers engage in their shopping experience, both online and in-store, is important as the North Carolina-based retailer – named the 2024 Southeast Retailer of the Year by The Shelby Report – continues to deliver on that promise.
As customers evolve and change, Sabo said Food Lion strives to ensure its assortment of products is as relevant as possible. Saving customers money also is “extremely important and the heritage of our brand,” she said.
Food Lion has enhanced its customers’ shopping experiences by making it easy to save in-store and online. They get the same low prices and promotions regardless of how they shop, Sabo said.
Customers value choice, and Food Lion has expanded its e-commerce offerings to allow them to shop “whenever, however and wherever” they want.
Sabo said the company has seen an increase in the number of customers using the home delivery option, as well as pickup. Food Lion partners with Instacart for home delivery, and recently added DoorDash as an option.
“What that has done is expand our customer base because our customers
using DoorDash were different than Instacart, adding to the growth of our e-commerce business,” she said.
While delivery is an easy option, Sabo noted some shoppers prefer pickup as their shopping choice where they feel they get a personal shopper who picks their groceries exactly the way they want them and brings them directly to their cars.
“They can have a conversation,” she said. “Part of our brand is the associates engaging with our customers. I think it’s pretty important.”
Another form of engagement is the website’s live chat option. Customers can communicate with their shoppers to change or substitute items in their orders. Sabo said feedback is positive.
Please see page 34
Deborah Sabo
From page 30
“They’ll tell us, ‘I have my own personal shopper.’ They look forward to that,” she said. “We bring that personalization of the in-store [experience] to online through some of those powerful elements of our site.”
2024 Southeast Retailer of the Year
Food Lion is constantly enhancing its online shopping experience. Sabo said this includes upgrading the technology behind search capabilities and recommended items, such as seasonal products. Part of the company’s strategy is to make shopping easy.
Food Lion continuously tracks online usage to get real-time feedback.
“If there’s something that might not be optimal, we’re fixing or enhancing it right away,” Sabo said.
The company uses research to continue to improve its processes.
“By coming to our site and logging in, we’re able to use our customers’ shopping choices to provide personalized offers for savings and content that is relevant to their needs.”
Food Lion Feeds helps nourish families
Food Lion Feeds is an important part of the brand, continuing the company’s tradition that started in 1957 of giving back to the towns and communities it serves.
Sabo said Food Lion is “deeply rooted in the community” and realizes that some neighbors face food insecurity.
“We believe no one should have to choose between dinner and rent or gas and groceries and stay committed to nourishing all of our neighbors who might need a little help from time to time,” she said.
In 2014, the company introduced Food Lion Feeds to ensure that no one goes hungry and all families are nourished.
“We will always be here to make sure that people can easily nourish their families to set them up for success in life,” she said.
This is done in a variety of ways. First, Food Lion partners with Feeding America food banks across its 10-state footprint. Food Lion’s food rescue program allows food pantries to access unsaleable edible food that may otherwise go to waste from its more than 1,100 stores. Company associates also volunteer to help pack meals for those experiencing hunger.
When children are out of school and may need help getting lunches, Food Lion has a backpack program where volunteers pack food to give them.
“The basis of Food Lion Feeds is to make sure we’re giving today to those who need help,” Sabo said.
The company has continued to evolve its Food Lion Feeds outreach by ensuring that more healthy, nutritionally dense food is readily available, including fresh items such as fruit, vegetables, meat and dairy products.
Food Lion also is focused on going after the systemic issue of hunger, Sabo added, including teaching and creating solutions to help set people up
for success in life. “That’s done through nutrition education, cooking classes, teaching gardens and workforce development.”
Food Lion customers can also help combat hunger through a variety of quarterly retail campaigns.
“Throughout the year, our customers partner with us to combat hunger through our retail campaigns such as buying a bag of oranges in the winter or a bag of apples in the fall where the proceeds of the sale are donated to our food bank partners,” Sabo said. “We also partner with our CPG vendors, who generously match the proceeds of a specially designed reusable bag purchased by our customers, in our Summers Without Hunger campaign. And we end the year with our Holidays Without Hunger campaign where we sell a holiday gift box, packed with nutritional food to be donated to families experiencing hunger. Through the generosity of our customers, we are able to offer millions of meals to our local communities.”
At the end of each campaign, Food Lion sends a thank-you note to customers identified through their MVP loyalty accounts for their participation.
“We thank them for what they’ve done to help support the communities through some of these programs at Food Lion,” she said. “That little thankyou goes a long way with some of our customers thanking us for letting them help. These are hugely beneficial programs, and it warms my heart to see how generous our communities can be to their neighbors.”
Sabo said Food Lion is close to reaching its goal of donating 1.5 billion meals. Since its inception in 2014, Food Lion Feeds has donated more than 1.2 billion meals.
She said the Food Lion Feeds’ outreach is deeply engrained in the company’s culture.
“There’s no one within our organization that can’t speak freely about Food Lion Feeds. And because it’s so unique to the individual store and the connection to the food bank and the towns and cities in which we serve, they’ll each have their own story,” Sabo said.
The collective effort of all associates contributes to Food Lion Feeds’ mission to nourish its neighbors.
“We show up each and every day through volunteer events in all of our communities,” she said.
“The secret to our success is our associates and how they engage with our customers day in and day out. They are their neighbors and friends and look forward to serving them each and every day.”
2024 Southeast Retailer of the Year
Local coming to life in-store through multi-pronged approach
For grocery shoppers seeking fresh, local options, Food Lion offers a variety of choices across their store.
Geoff Waldau, EVP of merchandising at North Carolina based Food Lion, emphasized the retailer’s focus on local sourcing through its Local Goodness program. “Local is incredibly important to us,” he said. “We know that customers want to support the communities in which they work and live, so we think Local Goodness brings that to life in a nice way.”
The Local Goodness Initiative – just one of the many reasons Food Lion is The Shelby Report’s 2024 Southeast Retailer of the Year – encompasses a wide range of products throughout the store.
In addition to offering products from a particular state, customers can even find items from particular regions within the state…what Food Lion refers to as ‘hyper-local’ offerings.
To find local products, customers can look for the Local Goodness signs and tags in Food Lion stores. For online shoppers, the Food Lion website has a ‘Local’ listing under ‘Departments’. There, a customer can select one of the 10 states in the company’s footprint to see the products available near them. Discovering these local items involves a multi-pronged approach. Customer feedback, input from retail and merchandising partners and category teams scouting the markets all play a role. Food Lion also participates in state-run events and trade shows to connect with potential suppliers.
“That’s been a nice way to meet folks where they are,” he said. “And we’ll continue to do that… Some of the state agricultural events that we’ve
attended in both North Carolina and Virginia for the last several years have been good places to meet local suppliers as well.”
These local products are obviously connected to small business owners, and Food Lion customers also want to support these businesses that are part of their community, Waldau said. “I think people like seeing that come to life in their local Food Lion store.”
Waldau acknowledged there can be challenges in integrating local suppliers. Ensuring product quality and availability and price competitiveness are all crucial considerations. Food Lion adopts a ‘crawl, walk, run’ approach, often testing products in a smaller group of stores before wider rollouts are considered. This helps the suppliers and grocery chain ensure long-term success.
Sustainability important focus
The Local Goodness program also has some intersection with Food Lion’s overall sustainability efforts. Locally sourced products generally travel shorter distances, reducing their overall environmental impact. This resonates with customers who are looking for more sustainable options.
Being part of the Ahold Delhaize organization, Food Lion has made “strong commitments” in the Please see page 38
Geoff Waldau
2024 Southeast Retailer of the Year
area of sustainability across multiple fronts, including energy management and sustainably sourced commodities.
For certain key commodities such as seafood, coffee, cocoa and soy, any vendor interested in supplying a private brand product with these ingredients must be able to provide documentation that these commodities were sourced sustainably. “It’s a point of entry for our Food Lion items that contain certain commodities,” Waldau said.
“We think it’s the right thing to do for customers, that they know where the products are coming from and that they’re being sustainably farmed and sourced moving forward.”
Food Lion has been offering sustainably sourced seafood for more than 10 years, working with third-party organizations to verify sustainability claims. Waldau said this is to ensure that the company has a consistent supply and that “things are being done the right way.”
With a focus on local sourcing and sustainable practices, Food Lion positions itself as a grocer committed to both its customers and the environment. From page 36
In addition to Food Lion private label, the grocer also sells Nature’s Promise, an exclusive brand sold by companies of Ahold Delhaize USA that offers clean label products.
“We see tremendous growth in customers looking for these type of products,” he said. “These items aren’t just in fresh, but if you were to walk the store, you would see the Nature’s Promise brand come to life across the store. It’s been a very successful brand and one where we see continued growth potential.”
Another part of Food Lion’s sustainability effort is its hunger-relief platform, Food Lion Feeds and their work with local food banks. The goal is to help end hunger in the communities it serves.
“All of our stores have partnerships with local food agencies,” Waldau said, adding that Food Lion is proud of the work it has done to combat hunger over the years. “Customers see that as being part of the sustainability message and how we support the local towns and cities.”
2024 Southeast Retailer of the Year
Decisions informed through feedback from customers, associates
Food Lion stands by its brand strategy of “Easy, Fresh & Affordable. You can count on Food Lion… Every Day!” Matt Yates, VP of brand strategy for the North Carolina-based retailer, said every word is “incredibly important.”
“Not any one of them can stand alone. That’s been our go-to-market strategy since 2013,” he said.
While the strategy has remained the same, how it is executed and delivered and what it means to the customer has evolved over time.
“The meaning of the words, the spirit of the words, is incredibly important to us because it was informed by our customers and our associates,” Yates said.
He added that listening to its customers is key to understanding what the brand is doing well and where opportunities may exist.
“The voice of the customer matters,” Yates said. “We make the appropriate business decisions and business trade-offs to be able to give our customers what they are asking for and what they’re looking for. When we say our strategy is defined by our customers, we mean that literally.”
Yates said that the key to gathering customers’ insights is being humble in how Food Lion listens to its customers.
“We don’t dispute what our customers say. We don’t try to discount what our customers say,” Yates said. “We take it for what it is, the truth, and then we have our internal conversations that say, OK, what does this mean for us, and what can we do?”
Food Lion, the 2024 Southeast Retailer of the Year in The Shelby Report, uses a variety of channels to gather customer insights, including tracking studies, in-store receipt surveys and direct conversations with associates who interact with customers.
The grocer, along with its vendor partners, leverages tracking studies to better understand its position in the marketplace, both for itself and against its competitors, Yates said. “We know how we stand, we know where our strengths are, and we know where we have more work to do.”
Along with the in-store receipt surveys, Food Lion also reaches out to customers on certain topics, such as its philanthropic platform Food Lion Feeds or about produce or assortment in general.
“We’ll engage customers to find out their thoughts,” Yates said.
He also noted the importance of Food Lion’s 82,000 associates who interact with customers daily, whether at the cash register, deli/bakery counter or other departments. “We’re constantly having those dialogues and giving our customers an opportunity to tell us where we’re doing well and where we could do more to better meet their needs.”
This feedback loop allows Food Lion to identify customer needs and tailor its offerings accordingly. For instance, customer feedback led to the expansion of e-commerce options such as home delivery and in-store pickup across the majority of Food Lion stores.
“We started small. We listened to our customers to find out that it was valuable to them, what they expected from us and which locations they preferred. We took that on and have now since expanded it almost all the way across our network,” Yates said.
Similarly, recognizing the desire for simpler meal solutions, the company is expanding its selection of ready-to-eat, ready-to-heat and ready-to-cook options.
“Making dinner easier to plan and execute is something our customers said they wanted from us, and we’ve taken that on. We’re in the process now of expanding that across our footprint,” he said.
Yates said it is critical to ask customers what they are looking for and
then deliver.
“What we have historically found is that our customers will reward us for that. They mean it when they say it, and if we’re able to give that to them that makes them more loyal to our brand. That’s why we continue to think that that’s so critically important for us.”
Power of omnichannel
Food Lion also is using customer feedback to make enhancements from an omnichannel perspective, according to Yates. The retailer offers a uniform website and app experience across all 1,109 stores. This allows customers to engage with the brand, save more as they shop and increase their loyalty, along with providing options for delivery or click and collect.
Physical stores are also undergoing “omnichannel remodels” to enhance the shopping experience. These focus on expanding home meal solutions, integrating e-commerce options and maintaining a relevant product assortment tailored to each store’s community. Additionally, modernizing the look and feel of the stores and upgrading equipment contribute to a more positive shopping experience.
Yates said the success of these efforts can be seen in improved scores. “Across the dynamics we measure, whether it be freshness or customer service, or even affordability, we see improvements across the board.”
Customer feedback reinforces this success, with many shoppers expressing satisfaction with the remodeled stores and a sense of ownership, referring to them as “their” Food Lion.
“That means we’re creating the emotional connection we’re seeking,” Yates said. “We’re able to connect with customers in a way that shows their loyalty and love for the brand. In many cases, they can’t say enough about how much they love what we’ve done for their local community. That’s what we hear the most. They’re voting with their wallets. They’re shopping more.”
Matt Yates
2024 Southeast Retailer of the Year
‘We’re all connected in that way’ – community involvement key
Food Lion Store Manager Angela Robinson, the recipient of the 2023 Divisional Store Manager Excellence Award for the Mid-Atlantic Division, attributes her success with the company to a focus on customer satisfaction, associate well-being and community involvement.
She oversees the Food Lion store in The Market at Riverwood shopping center in Clayton, North Carolina, which is part of the omnichannel remodel launch planned for August.
Robinson joined Food Lion six years ago. She had worked for a retailer in New York for 12 years, the last four as a store manager.
Robinson said she had worked her way up the ranks in New York and had attended a two-year training program to become an assistant manager.
That program gave her in-depth training in all the departments in the store. “That has contributed to my success, and I have translated that to Food Lion as well.”
When she relocated to the Clayton store about a year ago, Robinson said she was excited to be at the Food Lion in the Riverwood neighborhood.
“I live across the street, and I was just excited to put my stamp on it and could see some opportunities … It’s been an awesome transition. I have never been happier,” she said.
Robinson said the store team is “just like a family.”
“I’ve never worked in a store that has felt more like a team, everybody working together and to the common goal of servicing our customers and giving them the best experience possible,” she said.
This is part of Food Lion’s culture of caring about associates, nourishing its communities and giving back through Food Lion Feeds. Robinson also noted that many of the store’s customers and associates live in the Riverwood neighborhood.
The convenience of being so close to the neighborhood is a big plus for the store. An elementary school across the street also brings in business from teachers who stop by after work to pick up groceries.
“We definitely see that a lot in e-commerce,” Robinson said. “A lot of teachers will do pickup orders right after school.”
She said listening to customers, their wants and needs, is important. Customer feedback is valued.
“We adjust and cater to customers’ needs.”
Expanding the Food Lion To Go service is an example of that. Robinson noted that customers wanted that convenience, along with more availability of pickup windows.
There also has been a significant increase in Instacart home delivery orders as well, she said, adding that store associates work with Instacart shoppers to help them and ensure they are picking the best produce.
The store also increased self-checkouts during the remodel, increasing from four to six. They were reconfigured to make it easier for customers. Two additional staffed checkout registers, using new tandem-style belts, were added to bring the total to six.
An associate – or two during busy times – will monitor the self-checkout lanes. Robinson said she works to ensure they are appropriately trained to assist customers as needed.
Angela Robinson
Building a strong team
Robinson fosters a strong team environment. She emphasizes a leadership style based on care and collaboration, working alongside associates and helping them achieve their goals.
Being named a store manager of the year was an “amazing experience,” she said, adding that it was nice to be recognized for the hard work that she and her associates put in every day.
“I would not have gotten that [award] without them, without this community supporting us,” she said. “It’s humbling to try to do your best to represent. There’s so many great leaders in the division. You just want to make sure you’re representing everybody in the right way and showing them that they can set goals and achieve them and try to help drive that. It’s been awesome.”
Robinson leads by example, working side by side with her associates.
“I’m going to be right beside them, working, guiding, teaching. ‘What are your goals?’ ‘What do you want to achieve?’ Let’s help you get there. I lead with care, that’s my main energy,” she said. “Caring for your associates and the work that you put into each day definitely drives that. It’s been teamwork. Driving that team, getting everybody to work together for a common goal.”
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Robinson credits her team’s dedication and results-oriented mentality as key factors in the store’s success. They consistently meet or exceed metrics across various areas, including labor execution, inventory shrinkage and sales growth.
“We all want to be the best. We’re very competitive,” she said. “We don’t let anything stand in our way. We are going to achieve that goal.”
Robinson said she is firm but fair and tries to explain the “why” of things. “Why do we want it looking a certain way? Why do we want to make sure we’re fresh before we fill up? Helping them understand that and seeing it from a customer’s point of view is all part of that.”
The store in the Riverwood neighborhood has a good mix of associates, she noted, from those who have been there since it opened in 2010 to those new to Food Lion.
“We’re growing from the ground up,” Robinson said. “It’s a good balance.”
She noted that while Food Lion’s culture emphasizes customer satisfaction, it also incorporates caring for associates and their well-being. An example is an associate care basket in the breakroom. Robinson said that is standard in Food Lion stores, but her store goes a bit above and beyond by offering additional healthy snacks to give associates an energy boost during their shifts.
Associates also contribute to the care basket. Robinson said she has had very positive feedback from that offering for employees.
“We can all count on each other, and we want the customers to be able to count on us,” Robinson said. “It’s a two-way street.”
Local connection
One of the things that stood out to Robinson when she joined Food Lion was the opportunity to volunteer in the community.
“They make it easy to do that,” she said.
Food Lion cares about nourishing the communities it serves, which is evident through Food Lion Feeds.
“We stand behind that,” she said. “I think customers appreciate that, and it makes Food Lion stand out. I think that’s a unique aspect we have.”
She and other associates volunteer at their local food bank and other community organizations.
“Any opportunity we get to volunteer, we jump on it … It’s powerful.”
Robinson also noted that the store supports the local elementary school, which has a Backpack Buddies program. Designed for children who are food insecure, volunteers pack nutritious food in backpacks that the students can take home on the weekends. In addition to volunteering at the school, Robinson said they collect food donations at the store to support the program.
“We try to give back to that school a lot. We’ll bring Leo, the Food Lion mascot, over to help drive energy for different events they have,” she said.
This is part of Food Lion’s commitment to giving back and nourishing the communities it serves.
Robinson said she can’t imagine the feeling that being food insecure brings to families.
“More companies, more organizations should have that as a focus, because it brings tears to your eyes just thinking about kids not having food, or people having to choose between groceries or rent, bills or food on the table,” she said.
Robinson said she also reaches out to the community through the neighborhood’s Facebook page. She discovered the Riverwood Facebook page when she moved into the community four years ago. She said she realized it could be a great tool to communicate store news, such as price reductions, special deals on produce or even posting news about
the omnichannel store remodel that has been under way. She said customers will stop her in the store every week and thank her for communicating on that site.
Robinson said she typically posts two to three times a week on the page, such as promoting HotSale! in the weekly ad and including photos of in-store displays.
Getting customers into the store or shopping online is the first step in creating loyalty. Having plenty of sale items in stock is important, along with ensuring fresh departments are well stocked with items at optimal freshness.
“Nobody wants to buy produce and then get home and it doesn’t last for them to be able to enjoy it,” Robinson said, noting that she coaches her associates to focus on fresh before full. “Also, make sure your displays are nice and full. It’s all about the customer counting on us. If there’s a sale item, I want them to know they can come here and get that sale item, that we’re not going to be out of stock … That’s consistent throughout the store, just having systems and processes in place to help ensure that happens.”
During the summer months, Robinson said they work with a local farm that delivers fresh produce three days a week.
“We make a separate display of that product to highlight that it’s local,” she said. “We try to display it in a way where it has that farmers market feel, so customers are kind of naturally drawn to that. We have beautiful signage to call out the farm and more information about the different products.”
Robinson said her department managers are passionate about their jobs and want to deliver their best for customers.
“Working together as a team is a theme throughout the store. It allows us to be able to deliver to the customer,” she said.
Another plus in the fresh column is the store’s deli department. A hot bar offers bone-in and boneless chicken wings in a variety of flavors, including the popular Nashville hot wings, Robinson said. It also features appetizers such as mozzarella sticks and macaroni and cheese, along with an expanded Asian bar.
The Asian bar has teriyaki and General Tso’s chicken, fried rice and lo mein noodles. A sushi bar, which Robinson said is a new feature, has a chef making fresh sushi daily.
“He makes it right there in front of the customer,” she said. “You can go right up and request something specific, and he’ll put it together. It’s delicious.”
Community strong
Building connections within the Clayton community is a priority for Robinson.
In addition to being involved with the Riverwood neighborhood and elementary school, Robinson said the store also is a member of the local chamber of commerce. It participates in the annual Christmas parade and is the main sponsor of the Clayton Harvest Festival. She noted it is part of “caring about the towns and cities we serve.”
2024 Southeast Retailer of the Year
Communication, cooperation, generosity help ‘grow our talent’
Tony Sawyer was no stranger to retail when he joined Food Lion about 11 years ago. The store manager of the company’s Creedmoor, North Carolina location, Sawyer had worked at Kmart while in college before joining Home Depot after graduation. He then worked for Sears for about 16 years.
He had no intention of moving again, when a recruiter contacted him about interviewing with Food Lion.
“I said, ‘Sure, why not?’” Sawyer said. The threeperson interview panel included his current director. He said when she started talking about the company, he was sold.
“She talked about the culture. She talked about how Food Lion truly believes in running a community store and being involved in the community,” he said. “I’m a member of Omega Psi Phi fraternity, which I am already passionate about. The first Sunday of every month, we go to the homeless shelter and the soup kitchen, where we cook and serve the homeless.”
Hearing that was something Food Lion associates did regularly, including helping with food pantry rebuilds, only inspired him further.
“Then when we started talking about longevity and career advancement opportunities, I was like, I’m going to take that leap of faith,” he said. “And I’ve been amazed since I joined the company.”
Sawyer joined Food Lion as a store manager in training. Although he had worked in retail management previously, the grocery industry was different.
“I’m a people person. I love customers … I said to myself, you can read a
P&L at one store, you can read a P&L somewhere else. It’s just a matter of learning different product knowledge.”
Being named the 2023 region store manager of the year was unexpected, Sawyer said.
“I was humbly surprised when I got nominated. I was nominated by my peers, and I’ve always been a competitive store manager. I want to be the best of the best. And my team shares the same mentality as I do. They like to be the best of the best,” he said.
He and his team approach every day like a sport, Sawyer said. “Who will be No. 1 this week in different categories?”
The Creedmoor store always has produced good numbers and metrics, he noted.
Sawyer is very supportive of his team. He said his produce manager started with him part time and worked his way up to a manager role. “He’s been like a sponge,” he said.
His replenishment manager started part time in produce before working his way up to produce manager and then his current role.
Sawyer said the opportunities
Tony Sawyer
for advancement in different career paths are one of his favorite aspects about Food Lion.
“There are so many career avenues our associates can take to pursue something different in the company and still succeed.”
Setting associates up for success can also be seen in Food Lion’s retention rate. Sawyer said the tenure of Food Lion employees speaks volumes about longevity and job security.
Food Lion Feeds
Food Lion Feeds, the company’s philanthropic platform, is another reason Sawyer holds the retailer in such high esteem.
While volunteering to help feed the homeless is something he did prior to joining Food Lion, Sawyer said he and his team take great pride in helping with community food drives.
“We’re involved with Food Lion Feeds,” he said, noting that the store donates product and volunteer hours to the local food bank and pantries. “If
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they need additional items they want to purchase, they’ll give me a big bulk list. We work with corporate to try to get [those items], especially if it’s big volumes outside of what I normally carry.”
Sawyer said he also volunteers at food drives outside of Creedmoor. Food Lion recently helped sponsor a large food drive in Raleigh.
“I was tickled to death,” he said of his participation. “I think we were the only grocery store there. There were other companies there, like IBM and Cisco, but we had the largest group by far. We stand by this. We have donated over a billion meals to families. The goal is by 2025 to donate 1.5 billion, and we’re on track to make that happen.”
Sawyer said the work Food Lion Feeds does is important to the communities the company serves.
“I get touched every time I see the commercial about the young man who works his way through school. He said if it wasn’t for the Food Lion pantry, he didn’t know where he would have gotten food. That touches my heart, because that’s what I see in my store. That’s what I see in my community –how we represent. It makes a difference.”
Focus on customers
Sawyer said Food Lion customers “know they can count on us.” He said if a customer requests an item his store doesn’t carry, he will try to get it.
“Let me reach out and see if it’s something I can carry in my store,” he said. “I’ve had so much success doing that.”
He said while it doesn’t always work out, many times he will be notified of the item being incorporated into his assortment during the next reset.
“When the customer sees I have it, they’re touched.”
He said it may be an inexpensive item but one they rely on for their meal preps.
“It’s something that means so much to them, and they see that we take the time to try to get it in for them,” Sawyer said. “It makes a big difference. “We strategically do everything for our customers because we listen… making it easy, making it affordable, making it fresh. We’ve taken that information, and we created something wonderful.”
Sawyer noted that customers can go to the website and leave feedback about their shopping experience or an item they would like to see in the store. They also can call an 800 number or participate in a survey. The feedback goes to the corporate level.
“We take that very seriously,” he said.
Fresh is key
Talking about his store, Sawyer said produce is the anchor. He tells his produce manager, “This is where it starts for customers. If we don’t have fresh produce out, it may give the impression that nothing else in the store is fresh. It starts here.”
Sawyer said the produce team does a great job of ensuring “freshness all day long.”
He shared that the Creedmoor store has customers who “drive past other stores from Henderson or from Raleigh” because the produce always is fresh and looks good.
“That makes us feel good. Little proud moments like that do wonders for us,” Sawyer said.
He added that his deli manager does “a phenomenal job.” She started with Food Lion in quality assurance, then worked in produce part time before
moving to the deli and working her way up to manager.
“We believe in in-house talent, creating and managing in-house talent,” Sawyer said.
In all the fresh departments, the day starts with checking dates and making sure everything is ready for the customer.
He noted the store also likes to stay on top of the company’s new initiatives, such as cut fruit. While it had carried the products, Sawyer said the store now has a designated island at the front and center of the produce department.
Food Lion’s focus on ready-to-heat, ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook meals carries over from the deli to the perishable department. These meals are prepped in that department in-house each day, Sawyer said.
Creatively merchandising products in the store also is a collaborative effort. Sawyer and his team plan what they want to represent for the season. Weekly communications meetings are held between the management team and department leaders. Each person is asked to bring an idea to the meeting, whether for their own department or another area of the store.
“That helps grow our talent in the stores,” Sawyer said. “It gets them looking in departments other than their own.”
He said the goal is to develop ideas that will make it easy for their customers.
