That full page ad reads like a CEO pointing the finger at everyone and everything but himself. How can Hy-Vee be in this much trouble this soon after the pandemic, which was positively great for its businesses?
Yeah except I don't see Fareway going all Hollywood like HyVee did. They are still in the mindset of "small family owned store" and that won't change for a long time. Their current CEO is in his 40's and starting working for Fareway at 14. His Dad was a VP at Fareway for a long time. It's funny because employees (and former employees) always joked about "the family" meaning anyone related to the Beckwiths and Kramers but that mentality has helped them prosper.Kind of like the old HyVee regime?
Yeah except I don't see Fareway going all Hollywood like HyVee did. They are still in the mindset of "small family owned store" and that won't change for a long time. Their current CEO is in his 40's and starting working for Fareway at 14. His Dad was a VP at Fareway for a long time. It's funny because employees (and former employees) always joked about "the family" meaning anyone related to the Beckwiths and Kramers but that mentality has helped them prosper.
If you knew Reynolds Kramer, you would understand they won't be making the same mistakes HyVee did.That was my point... That's how the old HyVee regime operated.
I have high school classmates who work on crews that build the new stores (putting in coolers, checkout stations, shelves, etc.) . They are going to be very busy over the next few years.Fareway has a 10 year plan of adding 70 more stores and another distribution center somewhere so they can expand their footprint even further. And doing all of this with cash on hand.
I feel like Hy Vee lost their way and forgot what made them successful.That was my point... That's how the old HyVee regime operated.
Sounds a bit like Dwight Vredenburg.If you knew Reynolds Kramer, you would understand they won't be making the same mistakes HyVee did.
Fareway is very intentional and public that their market is smaller communities with need for grocery stores.Meanwhile Fareway is booming and building left and right.
Well.... their meat counter is awesomeThey do a very good job of utilizing space and not carrying dead products. They've spent a lot of time and money in being as efficient as possible and its paying off.
They recently made some financial moves that will allow them to expand rapidly over the next 10 years. Every store they build isn't financed, it's all money they have in their coffers. They are building more meat markets in the Kansas City area since those are wildly popular, including remodeling some of the first ones in KC because the building is just too small for their demand. And now they will be adding a fresh produce section along with the standalone meat markets. So their top two profit margin items sharing a brick and mortar.
Kind of only retail in small towns. I think they were losing to dollar stores more than Amazon though.My apologies in advance for being way off-topic, but the discussion and comments of how Hy-Vee used to be/run has stirred up nostalgia in me for stores like Pamida/Alco/Shopko (still barely hanging on)..
Anyone else miss those, or similar, stores?
They just announced a new one to be built in Olathe. They are super busy at their locations down there.I'm jealous that Fareway has meat markets now. I used to live in Kansas City and looking at google maps, looks like they have two locations. One of the locations on Ward parkway used to be McGonigle's, but looks like it was purchased by Fareway.
They opened one in Rockwell City after their local grocery store went out of business. Typically new stores are in the bottom 25% performance wise until they can get traction. This store is in the top 40% already.Fareway is very intentional and public that their market is smaller communities with need for grocery stores.
Well, besides those lolWell.... their meat counter is awesome
Exactly. Definitely different issues insome of those smaller-town retail stores, but Hy-Vee's business model has tried to be too progressive and venture into a lot of weird categories or markeets instead of focusing on how they got to where there were in the first place. I know I'm preaching to the choir saying this..Kind of only retail in small towns. I think they were losing to dollar stores more than Amazon though.
I truly do not understand all the pushing non- food items into Hy-Vee. You have a lot better options for clothes and sporting goods in larger towns. And in small towns you can now buy better stuff with more variety on Amazon. I hear a lot of complaints from older people about how hard it is for them to trudge through a big store when they just need basic food items. Then navigate self checkout. I have an 82 year old neighbor who either asks me to order her stuff on my Fareway online order or else gets her food at Casey’s.
I don't feel any love for Hy-Vee and rarely shop there, but those might be the only jobs Hy-Vee currently has open. It wouldn't do any good to shift office personnel from a no longer needed position to a newly created, not needed position. If their need for office personnel has declined to that extent, they have no other options for employees who want to remain at Hy-Vee. Now, anyone who can should find and take a similar position at a different company instead of stepping down to a low level job at Hy-Vee. I also think Hy-Vee should be on the hook for severance, etc. for those that are forced out.Hint" they don't want them to move to retail jobs. It's all a ploy for them to avoid severance and unemployment benefits. They are literally offering office folks cashier positions in order to skirt around having to pay them entitled benefits.
My apologies in advance for being way off-topic, but the discussion and comments of how Hy-Vee used to be/run has stirred up nostalgia in me for stores like Pamida/Alco/Shopko (still barely hanging on)..
Anyone else miss those, or similar, stores?
Exactly. Definitely different issues insome of those smaller-town retail stores, but Hy-Vee's business model has tried to be too progressive and venture into a lot of weird categories or markeets instead of focusing on how they got to where there were in the first place. I know I'm preaching to the choir saying this..
It's not my area of expertise in any way, shape or form -- and I get trying to stay "current", but Fareway is/has proven that you can have a successful business model that doesn't require them to change their core strategy.
If Hy-Vee wouldn't have ventured off into such vexing markets, and do the same as Fareway, they (most likely) wouldn't be in this predicament. New technologies, ways of doing things, etc is great, but drastic core change is another thing..
I'm sorry but suggesting that an employee takes a position that would be a downgrade is absolutely insulting.I don't feel any love for Hy-Vee and rarely shop there, but those might be the only jobs Hy-Vee currently has open. It wouldn't do any good to shift office personnel from a no longer needed position to a newly created, not needed position. If their need for office personnel has declined to that extent, they have no other options for employees who want to remain at Hy-Vee. Now, anyone who can should find and take a similar position at a different company instead of stepping down to a low level job at Hy-Vee. I also think Hy-Vee should be on the hook for severance, etc. for those that are forced out.