Hy-Vee vs Fareway - Sunday Commercials

[isuno1fan]

There are 20+ pages in this thread, not to mention other threads floating around from past years, with specific detail about Hy-Vee's bad decisions and mismanagement.

Hy-Vee isn't rightsizing, it's trying to avoid capsizing.

OK....where's the balance sheet?

 

[kcdc4isu]

No, there are no excuses for HyVee, they've been expanding my entire life and I'm in my 40's. It's not that they expanded, it's how they chose to do it. They turned their back on the Iowa consumer and we've supported failed venture after failed venture. Current leadership was handed a golden ticket and they somehow managed to F it up. It's pretty incredible really.

I retired from Hy-Vee and worked during the time they expanded. Did they try ideas that did not work he!! yes they also had some that have been very successful. The pandemic caused a change in how people shopped and now that it is somewhat over people are going back to eating out more than cooking at home. This has been the trend for years and will continue as so many people today want it easy and don't cook.

 

[GMackey32]

*Literally every other grocery store chain is expanding and doing well*

People who refuse to look at facts- “Well you can’t blame Hy-Vee because nobody buys groceries anymore”

 

[Trice]

OK....where's the balance sheet?

Was it not obvious that I was exaggerating for effect? Rightsizing/capsizing, hardy har har.

I seriously doubt Hy-Vee is in imminent danger. But if you can read through this thread, and the numerous other threads on Reddit or elsewhere, and think that mass layoffs in the wake of two of the greatest years in retail grocery history is just the normal business cycle activity for Hy-Vee, I've got a bridge you might be interested in.

 

[BillBrasky4Cy]

I guess I don't see all the animosity. I don't even shop at HyVee, but rightsizing a business happens all the time. Yes...the CEO is a bit of a tool, but this isn't anything earth shattering IMO.

Have you ever worked for one of HyVee's suppliers?

 

[RezClone]

I like Hy-Vee. Worked there in High School and college. Kid works there. We do all our shopping there. But man they make some dumb moves. You just made a move that has a serious effect on someone’s life and probably their family’s lives, and you’re checking to see what they’re saying about you on LinkedIn? Talk about classless and not being able to read a room.

I also worked at HyVee. My brother and Dad have too. I'm actually glad it was my first job because it gave me a legitimate baseline for any kind of challenges going forward. Sure, it's not rocket science or salt-mining l, but I assure you retail at Hyvee is NO JOKE.

To make a career out of Hy-Vee retail is the definition of a "Lifer." You have to be all in or you are wasting your time and theirs. It's not the best place to just put in a little time and make a little cash, although the majority of their employees fall into that category. There is nothing wrong with that, but there's better places to work at if that is your goal. The culture at Hy-Vee as a career is to give all of yourself, mind, body and soul, to act like you LOVE the company on par with anything else and you are invested in the company's success, from the big picture to the smallest detail.

If that isn't something you want to do or are capable of doing, you will be weeded out and forced out eventually, one way or another. I wouldn't be surprised if the Hy-Vee leadership has contempt for its white collar employees they hired out of necessity to grow. It's just not in the DNA of the place to want to have a specialized career. Hy-Vee is your career.

 

[Trice]

I also worked at HyVee. My brother and Dad have too. I'm actually glad it was my first job because it gave me a legitimate baseline for any kind of challenges going forward. Sure, it's not rocket science or salt-mining l, but I assure you retail at Hyvee is NO JOKE.

To make a career out of Hy-Vee retail is the definition of a "Lifer." You have to be all in or you are wasting your time and theirs. It's not the best place to just put in a little time and make a little cash, although the majority of their employees fall into that category. There is nothing wrong with that, but there's better places to work at if that is your goal. The culture at Hy-Vee as a career is to give all of yourself, mind, body and soul, to act like you LOVE the company on par with anything else and you are invested in the company's success, from the big picture to the smallest detail.

If that isn't something you want to do or are capable of doing, you will be weeded out and forced out eventually, one way or another. I wouldn't be surprised if the Hy-Vee leadership has contempt for its white collar employees they hired out of necessity to grow. It's just not in the DNA of the place to want to have a specialized career. Hy-Vee is your career.

That video from a few weeks ago where he chastises white collar employees who don't want to take a retail store job should eliminate any doubt about the contempt Hy-Vee leadership has for those people.

 

[Mads4st8]

I also worked at HyVee. My brother and Dad have too. I'm actually glad it was my first job because it gave me a legitimate baseline for any kind of challenges going forward. Sure, it's not rocket science or salt-mining l, but I assure you retail at Hyvee is NO JOKE.

To make a career out of Hy-Vee retail is the definition of a "Lifer." You have to be all in or you are wasting your time and theirs. It's not the best place to just put in a little time and make a little cash, although the majority of their employees fall into that category. There is nothing wrong with that, but there's better places to work at if that is your goal. The culture at Hy-Vee as a career is to give all of yourself, mind, body and soul, to act like you LOVE the company on par with anything else and you are invested in the company's success, from the big picture to the smallest detail.

If that isn't something you want to do or are capable of doing, you will be weeded out and forced out eventually, one way or another. I wouldn't be surprised if the Hy-Vee leadership has contempt for its white collar employees they hired out of necessity to grow. It's just not in the DNA of the place to want to have a specialized career. Hy-Vee is your career.

This definitely describes Hy-Vee of the 1990’s, not so much the company today.

 

[RezClone]

This definitely describes Hy-Vee of the 1990’s, not so much the company today

I would like to think and hope so. I worked there in the late 2000's and it's definitely much much bigger.

 

[carvers4math]

I know several Hy-Vee corporate executives who retired quite young. Not sure if it’s just because they could, they couldn’t stand where Edeker was taking the company, or they left early seeing the massacre at corporate coming.

 

[Cyclones01]

They're 100% trying to avoid unemployment, and they're gearing up for another round of layoffs probably in the next couple of weeks. This week, lots of people were called in and given a list of store jobs they could apply for. They were told their current position was being eliminated.

One person I know turned to LinkedIn to say that she would be looking for a new job soon as she was informed her position at Hy-Vee was being eliminated, but was not given a date. She then received a call from management who wanted to discuss the semantics of her LinkedIn post. They specifically took issue with the statement that her job was being "eliminated"; that she still technically works there. She confirmed with them that she would no longer have a job in her current role and that it was just a matter of finding out when her last day would be. They encouraged her again to consider applying for the retail jobs.

I don't know any other way to explain their behavior than that they're afraid of something here.

Update to this story.

This person's job was eliminated today.

This week, she had been pressing leadership on why they have not been communicated a date yet. She was assured they would look into it and have an answer for her. Then she got laid off today. She asked why they were unable to tell her before today, that today would be her last day, and she was told it was because they didn't know UNTIL today.

I also heard that some people were given raises today.

I just don't understand how that company is so bad at everything. They continue to do the dumbest ****, and then double down on it.

Also, this internal Slack post made it over to Reddit today:

https://www.reddit.com/r/hyvee/comments/ujrtsj

 

[Cyforce]

I rarely shop Hy-Vee today I hit the Army Post store and learned Saltines are not in the cracker isle.

 

[Trice]

Update to this story.

This person's job was eliminated today.

This week, she had been pressing leadership on why they have not been communicated a date yet. She was assured they would look into it and have an answer for her. Then she got laid off today. She asked why they were unable to tell her before today, that today would be her last day, and she was told it was because they didn't know UNTIL today.

I also heard that some people were given raises today.

I just don't understand how that company is so bad at everything. They continue to do the dumbest ****, and then double down on it.

Also, this internal Slack post made it over to Reddit today:

https://www.reddit.com/r/hyvee/comments/ujrtsj

Strategically, I just don't know how you do this drip-drip-drip of layoffs playing out over weeks and weeks. It's murder on morale and keeps your company's struggles in the headlines. Rip off the band aid and let everyone go at once, so you can commit to the people who are still there that they are safe.

When you can't even fire people competently, you've got issues. Where are the adults in the room?

 

[carvers4math]

I rarely shop Hy-Vee today I hit the Army Post store and learned Saltines are not in the cracker isle.

I haven’t been in one since January 2020, but then I learned olive oil was by spaghetti sauce instead of with the other cooking oils

 

[NWICY]

Kroger's stock is crushing it this year.

Publix is crushing it..

Publix starts off fiscal 2022 with strong Q1 sales

Grocery veteran Chris Litz to retire later this month

www.supermarketnews.com

Hy-Vee is struggling... How can leadership keep there jobs???

I'm thinking they are canning the wrong people. Need to cull higher up the food chain.

 

[NWICY]

The pandemic threw Hy-Vee a lifeline and corporate said “no thanks, we’re going to continue making bad decisions”

Accurate but the way you phrased it made me laugh.

 

[jcisuclones]

you know damn well they're going to continue to push expanding clothing and shoe sections in stores and wonder why they're failing

 

[isuno1fan]

Still haven’t seen any financial info posted that shows HyVee is “failing”.
I’m not defending them….they definitely are tarnishing their image with the recent PR, but I’m guessing they are far from floundering.

 

[isuno1fan]

Also curious if the jobs in the stores are offered at a paycut to current salary or are they the same salary these folks are/were making at corporate?

 

[jcisuclones]

Still haven’t seen any financial info posted that shows HyVee is “failing”.
I’m not defending them….they definitely are tarnishing their image with the recent PR, but I’m guessing they are far from floundering.

Companies don't typically lay off 500 employees if they're doing well.