By: Dan Ratner, Senior Director of Member Services, FMI
In just 22 days, the food industry will celebrate the National Calendar Day of Supermarket Employee Day and express our endearing love and gratitude to those on the frontlines of the food supply chain helping members of our communities feed and enrich the lives of their families.
If you have plans to celebrate your supermarket employees on February 22nd, be sure to make your order of Supermarket Employee Day branded items ("valentines") from the online store by Friday, February 2 to allow enough time for these items to arrive in time for the big day.
The Supermarket Employee Day Toolkit has a number of resources to help you thank and celebrate all the essential retail food professionals in your community. Below you'll see one of the most effective tools – the Key Messages – that you are encouraged to use in writing "love notes" to these important people in your life.
Supermarkets are the Backbone of Our Communities
- The food industry feeds families and enriches lives, and supermarkets are the cornerstone of their communities.
- There are more than 40,000 stores that sell food and grocery items in the U.S. alone.
- Millions of supermarket employees come to work daily to keep shelves stocked and to provide communities with essential services that help them survive and thrive.
Grocery Workers are Critical in Feeding Families and Enriching Lives
- In the face of a crisis, such as a natural disaster, supermarket employees sustain communities.
- Supermarket employees maintain the critical pipeline of food and consumer goods that sustain the health and well-being of their customers.
- Supermarket employees also volunteer countless hours and contribute valuable support to community service. According to The Food Retailing Industry Speaks 2023, 82% of food retailers engage in community support and build local ties.
Supermarket Employees Have Earned Our Gratitude
- Despite supply chain disruptions or workforce reductions, supermarket employees have demonstrated trojan efforts to keep communities going, even in extreme weather challenges.
- Supermarket employees have personified compassion and courage when communities have most needed to be encouraged.
- Supermarket employees have redefined the term "community service."
- Show kindness and compassion in your interactions with employees year-round.
From the bottom of our hearts, we thank all supermarket employees for what they do to care for our communities. Love, FMI.
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