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Hy-Vee employees teamed up with the USO to assemble care packages for active-duty service members stationed throughout the Midwest.
SERVICE WITH A SMILE
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his year, we’re celebrating the 250th anniversary of America. From honoring our nation’s veterans and celebrating our employees’ returning from service overseas, to hosting parking lot parties for our customers and helping our neighbors in the wake of historic severe weather — Hy-Vee employees continue to live out our fundamentals. In this issue, we highlight the ways we’ve celebrated America and honored those who served our nation, not only during this anniversary year but throughout our history as a company. Since 2013, our Hy-Vee Homefront program has raised more than $4.3 million to support veterans,
active-duty service members and their families, and this year will help fund five Honor Flights including the first Central Iowa Honor Flight leaving from Des Moines since 2019. Our America 250 coverage begins on page 18. In this issue, we also celebrate the outstanding accomplishments of our employees across the region, from Legendary Customer Service Award recipients to our state fair best bagging competition champions in both Iowa and Illinois. Check out this story and more beginning on page 16. As always, thank you for the difference you’re making for Hy-Vee every day. We hope you enjoy this issue of Smile.
In this issue 4 Subsidiary Corner 8 Q&A with Cole Bisgard 9 Hy-Vee People 12 Hy-Vee In the Community 14 In the News 16 LCSA recipients 18 America 250 24 Hy-Vee Benefits 26 Hy-Vee Awards
STRACK & VAN TIL From supporting local food banks to helping families in the wake of disasters, Strack & Van Til continues its longstanding commitment to making people’s lives easier. Since 1929, Strack & Van Til has served as Northwest Indiana’s hometown grocer, providing a shopping experience centered on exceptional service, clean stores, a wide selection of products, and solutions that meet the evolving needs of its customers. In 2024, the family-owned grocer joined the Hy-Vee family, bringing with it 22 stores and more than 2,600 employees.
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HY-VEE SUBSIDIARY CORNER
Pictured on page 4 (L-R): Steven Gust, Meat Cutter; Dana Sharkey, Meat Wrapper; Kevin Smith, Assistant Meat Manager; Thomas Siemer, Lunchmeat Clerk; and Joseph Ferguson, Meat Cutter. Pictured above: Andy Muller, Produce Merchandiser (left). Kristin Snow, Director of Deli (top right). Karl Schulz, Store Director (bottom right).
VOTED #1 GROCER Strack & Van Til was voted the #1 grocer by readers of The Times of Northwest Indiana for the 16th consecutive year.
Giving back Strack & Van Til is committed to helping its communities, and in 2025, helped raise more than $500,000 for local nonprofits and food banks. The grocer has helped support the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana for more than 20 years through food donations, meal giveaway events and monetary support. smile | 5
HY-VEE SUBSIDIARY CORNER
PROVIDING RELIEF AFTER THE STORMS This summer, employees from Strack & Van Til and Hy-Vee showed up in a big way, working together to feed thousands of residents across Northwest Indiana following a series of devastating storms that left thousands without power. They’re always there for us; they’re always here for Hammond.” -Brian, Highland customer
Click HERE to view the full story.
On June 11, an EF-2 tornado tore through Merrillville, Indiana, causing widespread damage. Despite facing damage to its own store — which was just a block away from where the tornado hit — the Merrillville Strack & Van Til team quickly shifted into relief mode, serving meals and distributing water door-to-door in nearby neighborhoods.
On Aug. 11, a derecho and several tornados swept through communities across the Strack & Van Til region. Hundreds of thousands of residents lost electricity with many living without power for several weeks. Employees from Strack & Van Til and Hy-Vee set up tents outside the Cedar Lake, Hammond, Highland, Portage, St. John and Valparaiso stores, serving free meals, bottled water and ice to those who were impacted.
OVER THREE DAYS IN JUNE, THE TEAM SERVED:
OVER SIX DAYS IN AUGUST, THE TEAM SERVED:
10,000
78,700
Hot meals
25,000
Water bottles
36,480
Pounds of ice
Hot meals
661,820
Water bottles
406,400
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HY-VEE PEOPLE
QUESTION & ANSWER
Cole Bisgard, Hy-Vee’s director of enterprise security support services, shares how he helps prepare Hy-Vee’s business operations for the unexpected. Q: What’s your “Hy-Vee story?” How did you get to where you are today?
Q: You have a pretty unique job. How did your role come about?
A: I started my Hy-Vee career at the Chariton, Iowa, store while in high school and later transferred to the Lincoln Center store in Ames. I left to attend Iowa State University, where I studied operations and supply chain management. After graduating, I worked at Nestlé Purina before returning to Hy-Vee in a role that aligned with my degree. Since then, I’ve had the opportunity to work in supply chain, IT, disaster relief and now enterprise security support.
A: Hy-Vee has always been there for our communities. Over the last decade, we were finding ourselves becoming more involved in disaster relief, especially following the 2020 derecho in Cedar Rapids. That was a turning point for us, and the company needed someone who could be dedicated to contingency planning, so our stores could continue to be there for our communities when it mattered most.
Q: What does your current role entail?
Q: Describe what a typical Hy-Vee response effort looks like.
A: Part of my job is to make sure Hy-Vee’s emergency assets — such as our generators and our security resources — are always in a state of readiness and positioned to be deployed to any store anytime a disaster strikes, whether it’s a power outage, tornado, water boil advisory or a flood. I also serve as a disaster relief expert for the company, helping stores get connected with local response teams and making sure they have the resources they need to organize a coordinated response effort.
A: First and foremost, we must take care of our employees and ensure any assets like our buildings and stores are safe and secure, so we can continue to serve our community and provide access to essentials like fresh food and water. Then, we contact local emergency organizations to determine how we can fit into the response efforts that are already underway. From there, we formulate a plan, often distributing bottled water, meals and ice to local residents and first responders.
GLOBAL HONOR In 2025, Hy-Vee was nationally recognized for its disaster relief efforts, earning a Silver Halo Award from internationally-known non-profit Engage for Good.
4 MILLION Since 2016, Hy-Vee has donated more than 4 million water bottles to communities in need. 8|
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HY-VEE PEOPLE
MILES OF SMILES Hy-Vee’s transportation teams came together this spring to celebrate the drivers from our distribution centers who represent the best of the best when it comes to being a helpful smile on the road. Between our Chariton and Cherokee Distribution Centers, our annual Road of Gold banquets honored 113 drivers who reached safe driving milestones. Several outstanding drivers were also inducted into Hy-Vee’s Road of Gold Hall of Fame for reaching 1 million or 2 million accident-free miles.
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Mark Bradford
Chariton Distribution Center
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Steve Williams
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Marshal Schlutz
Chariton Distribution Center
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Jared Patterson
Chariton Distribution Center
2 MILLION MILES?
That’s to the moon and back four times — with miles to spare.
HY-VEE PEOPLE
IN THE BAG This summer brought out the competitive spirit for Hy-Vee employees across Iowa and Illinois as they competed for the title of “Best Bagger” at their local state fair. The Best Grocery Bagger contest judges participants based on factors like speed, bag weight, distribution and attitude. At the Iowa State Fair, Hy-Vee placed #1, breaking Fareway’s four-year hold over the title. Kyle Bitterman from the West Locust Hy-Vee in Davenport was named the bagging champion. At the Illinois State Fair, which marked the state’s first-ever bagging competition, Hy-Vee employees completed a clean sweep, winning all three top spots. Carlos Sabino from the Rock Island Hy-Vee placed #1. Now, both Kyle and Carlos will go on to compete at the national competition at the MGM Grand Convention Center in Las Vegas in early 2027.
The Hy-Vee Leaderboard IOWA WINNERS First Place: Kyle Bitterman, West Locust Hy-Vee, Davenport Third Place: River Tygret-Ross, Prairie Trail Hy-Vee, Ankeny ILLINOIS WINNERS First Place: Carlos Sabino, Rock Island Hy-Vee Second Place: Shelby Morton, Henderson St. Hy-Vee, Galesburg Third Place: Mike Clark, Avenue of the Cities Hy-Vee, Moline
A FAIR SHARE OF SMILES Hy-Vee once again had a strong presence at the Iowa State Fair, the annual event in Des Moines that draws more than 1 million visitors each year. Our booth in the Varied Industries Building featured our helpful smiles handing out more than 46,000 reusable shopping bags and temporary tattoos, turning fairgoers into walking Hy-Vee ambassadors.
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ON STICKER PATROL Spreading smiles, one sticker at a time
A retail security officer at the Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Hy-Vee is making meaningful connections, one sticker at a time. Brian Wellington spends much of his day walking the aisles, helping customers find items, and entertaining Hy-Vee’s youngest and often most restless shoppers: children. “I like to give the kids something while they’re in the store, whether it’s a sticker, sucker or balloon to help make the parents’ shopping experience better,” said Brian. He became especially well known for handing out stickers to children featuring a “Hy-Vee Junior Security” emblem. Eventually, Wellington’s family surprised him with custom-made stickers with his own likeness in a variety of poses to distribute in the store. These custom stickers have cemented Wellington’s “celebrity” status at the Eau Claire Hy-Vee, with many children seeking out Officer Brian, not only for a sticker, but also a fist bump or a hug.
“Every day, I really look forward to going to work because of the camaraderie between so many customers I’ve gotten to know over the three years that I’ve worked here, and a lot of the kids,” Brian said.
WELCOMING HOME A HERO The team at the Wilson Avenue Hy-Vee in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, recently welcomed home a Hy-Vee hero. Retail Security Officer Dan Harrison had been deployed overseas for more than a year, so the Wilson Avenue store team welcomed him home in true Hy-Vee fashion — with a red-carpet celebration and lunch in his honor, plus plenty of snacks and gift cards for him to enjoy while spending some welldeserved time with his family. smile | 11
HY-VEE IN THE COMMUNITY
Driving support for veterans This summer, the Hy-Vee Chariton Distribution Center’s Charity Car Show raised $30,000 for several worthy local causes. The event, staged on the town square in Chariton, Iowa, benefited the Honor Flight Network, a national nonprofit that provides military veterans with a daylong trip to Washington, D.C. to tour the monuments that honor their service, and Lucas County Veterans Memorial Park, which is being developed near Chariton City Hall with individual memorials for local citizens who made the ultimate sacrifice. The show has raised $111,000 over five years through entry fees, raffles and silent auctions. The award category reserved for Chariton Distribution Center employees was won by sign fabricator Terri Ohnemus’s ’67 Chevy pickup.
Chiefs’ Andy Reid and Hy-Vee team up for a great cause There’s no better place than Hy-Vee to stock up for a good old-fashioned summer BBQ, and every great get-together needs an experienced grill master. That’s why Hy-Vee and Andy Reid, head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs, make such a great team. To kick off summer, Reid manned the grill during a fundraiser for the 1855 HarrisKearney House Museum, which is the oldest two-story brick home in Kansas City. The coach traded his headset and clipboard for tongs and a spatula as he flipped burgers and turned brats provided by the team at the Lee’s Summit East Hy-Vee. Coach Reid and his wife Tammy are longtime supporters of the effort to restore the historic 1855 Harris-Kearney House Museum. Proceeds from the “Brats ‘n Burgers with Coach Reid” fundraiser added to the halfmillion-dollar effort to preserve the landmark.
HY-VEE IN THE COMMUNITY 2.1 MILLION PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES ARE LIVING WITH TYPE 1 DIABETES
PEDALING WITH PURPOSE There’s no better way to take in the beauty of the Mississippi River Valley than by the seat of a bicycle — and this summer, nearly 50 current and retired Hy-Vee employees got to experience it firsthand. The 2026 Breakthrough T1D Ride took place over four days in August. Cyclists started in La Crosse, Wisconsin, and rode through the scenic bluffs of Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota. Some cyclists took a route as long as 100 miles. Everyone was pedaling not only to enjoy the dramatic views, but also to support Breakthrough T1D. Hy-Vee is a longtime supporter of Breakthrough T1D, which is the leading type 1 diabetes research and advocacy organization. Breakthrough T1D is working to find cures for type 1 diabetes, and efforts like this summer’s bicycle ride contribute to the mission.
Finding cures for T1D is personal for Hy-Vee. In 1921, company co-founder Charles Hyde’s son Paul died from juvenile diabetes at 8 years old. Since 1998, Hy-Vee has raised more than $20 million for the organization through in-store campaigns and fundraising.
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HY-VEE IN THE NEWS
Singing for smiles Hy-Vee’s seasonal garden centers always make customers smile, but a Humboldt Hy-Vee employee is making flowers even more fun. WHO 13 News showed how Ramona Kirchhoff’s sense of humor is spreading joy. Click HERE to view the full story.
Local businesses featured in Rochester Hy-Vee stores Hy-Vee stores are not only home to the most popular national brands but also beloved local items. The Rochester Post Bulletin found out how small businesses can make their way onto Hy-Vee store shelves.
Helping feed kids An Omaha-area nonprofit working to feed kids over the summer is getting help from the 180th & Pacific Hy-Vee. 3 News Now highlighted the store’s efforts to help. Click HERE to view the full story.
Getting noticed in Sioux Falls
Hy-Vee dietitians offer test
Great things are happening every day inside Hy-Vee stores — and customers are noticing. SiouxFalls.Business detailed the positive changes at Sioux Fallsarea stores, from doubling down on customer service to the benefits of joining the free Hy-Vee Kids Club. Click HERE to view the full story.
Hy-Vee’s registered dietitians are making it easy and affordable to help their patients understand their diabetes risk. KTIV News 4 showed its viewers how anyone can get their A1C levels tested right inside a Hy-Vee store. Click HERE to view the full story.
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“Free bananas for children,” the sign reads in front of the Hy-Vee produce display. “Please take one!” That’s just the start.
JACKPOT PUTTING QUINCY ON THE MAP
Ticket of a lifetime sold at Quincy Hy-Vee Fast & Fresh A ticket for the eighth-largest Powerball® jackpot ever was sold at a Hy-Vee Fast & Fresh. With a jackpot prize of $1.04 billion, buzz was building nationwide leading up to the Aug. 12 drawing. Powerball players across the country selected their lucky numbers or let the machine choose a mixture of random numbers. But it was a customer at the Hy-Vee Fast & Fresh on North 36th Street in Quincy, Illinois, who matched all six winning numbers — 4, 26, 66, 67, 69, and Powerball 9 — to become the sole winner of the top prize. Hy-Vee Fast & Fresh Manager Jon Marshall said his phone started buzzing with calls and texts just hours
after the winning numbers were drawn. The excitement at his store continued all day with customers showing up to purchase more lottery tickets from this now-lucky store, and even to simply touch the machine that dispensed the winning ticket. “I always tell my customers that it would be great to put Quincy on the map by winning a lottery ticket from our store, and sure enough, somebody did it,” Jon told the Illinois Lottery. The winner of the $1.04 billion prize has not yet come forward and is allowed to remain anonymous in the state of Illinois.
FUN FACT:
This is the secondlargest lottery prize ever won in Illinois. smile | 15
LEGENDARY 14 employees surprised with top honor
Hy-Vee employees are known for their helpful smiles and incredible customer service, and now some of the very best have earned the company’s top honor.
Marva Anderson HR/Accounting Manager Humboldt Hy-Vee Humboldt
This summer, 14 Hy-Vee employees were surprised to be named the newest recipients of the Richard N. Jurgens Legendary Customer Service Award. The award recognizes exemplary achievement in providing service that exceeds customers’ expectations. Each recipient was nominated by their co-workers and ultimately selected by a panel of Hy-Vee’s top officers. The employees
Richard Blackburn Meat Service Manager Barry Road Hy-Vee Kansas City
Celebration for Fikreta Trepic at the Mills Civic Hy-Vee in West Des Moines.
were evaluated in nine areas, including passion for customer service, attitude, initiative, teamwork, problem-solving skills, dedication to Hy-Vee fundamentals, communication skills, professional image and selfconfidence. All 14 recipients of the Legendary Customer Service Award will be inducted into Hy-Vee’s Customer Service Hall of Fame and receive a gold Legendary Customer Service name badge, custom-designed ring, crystal trophy and a free trip of their choice. Their smiling faces will also be featured on Hy-Vee semi-trailers across the Midwest.
Murray Brookman Catering Coordinator Noland Road Hy-Vee Independence
Ashley Bugajny Pharmacy Manager 156th & Maple Hy-Vee Omaha
Jerry Halvorson Asst. Manager of Store Operations Crossroads Drive Hy-Vee Rochester
Sarah Kew Human Resources Manager Wilson Ave. Hy-Vee Cedar Rapids
Marion Kruzich Sales Specialist Lomar Distribution Center Cumming
Steve Lugar Bakery Manager Waterfront Hy-Vee Iowa City
Sheila Piro Cake Decorator Highland Strack & Van Til Highland
Caitie Saephan HR/Accounting Manager Peru Hy-Vee Peru
Kristin Sousek Regional Registered Dietitian South Minnesota Hy-Vee Sioux Falls
Fikreta Trepic Market Grille Clerk Mills Civic Hy-Vee West Des Moines
Cindy Vanrenterghem Asst. Mgr., Health, Wellness, Home Grinnell Hy-Vee Grinnell
Dustin Villhauer Registered Pharmacist North Ankeny Hy-Vee Ankeny smile | 17
America CELEBRATING OUR NATION To honor our nation’s 250th anniversary, we held a series of events across our stores and communities this summer, centered around our Hy-Vee Homefront program and our continued support of military members and veterans.
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Serving military members
In May, we marked the official launch of our America 250 efforts. In stores, we offered free coffee to veterans and activeduty service members every Wednesday in May, as well as free breakfast on May 20. Throughout the month, we hosted a Register Round Up, raising more than $331,000 for our Homefront partners.
A grand salute At the Iowa State Fair, Hy-Vee sponsored the Fair’s Veterans Day, which drew record-breaking attendance, setting a new alltime single-day attendance record for a Monday at the fair. The day featured the annual parade honoring Iowa’s veterans, with floats and groups from across the state celebrating America’s servicemen and women. Hy-Vee hosted a display on the Grand Concourse with our Hy-Vee Homefront partners, including Puppy Jake Foundation and the American Red Cross. The USO also joined Hy-Vee in our display, along with veteran service organizations from across the state.
$4.3M RAISED FOR HY-VEE HOMEFRONT SINCE 2013
H AMERICA 250
A symphony of stars and stripes New mission begins for Hy-Vee ‘recruits’ Two new “recruits” have joined the Puppy Jake Foundation’s latest class of service dogs in training! Last year, our employees submitted nearly 3,000 name ideas for the puppies, which were then narrowed down by a committee of employee veterans. We’re delighted to introduce Valor and Bell, Hy-Vee’s two newest service dogs in training,
who will one day help support veterans in the community. Valor, a chocolate lab, and Bell, a black lab, were both born in the fall of 2025 and are currently in the second phase of their training with Puppy Jake volunteers. Bell was named in honor of retired Hy-Vee executive vice president Charlie Bell, who passed away in 2025.
Hy-Vee helped bring a beloved Des Moines tradition to life on July 3 with our sponsorship of the 33rd annual Des Moines Symphony Yankee Doodle Pops. The free, family-friendly event, hosted on the west lawn of the Iowa State Capitol, featured a patriotic symphony program, as well as special guest performances. More than 100,000 people attended the event, which closed with a fireworks finale over the Des Moines River.
Hy-Vee named Most Patriotic Companies In recognition of Hy-Vee’s commitment to hiring and supporting military members, Hy-Vee was named to Newsweek’s inaugural list of America’s Most Patriotic Companies, receiving the highest possible score. Hy-Vee was one of only three companies in Iowa to be recognized on the national list.
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Party in the parking lot On July 25, Hy-Vee parking lots across the Midwest filled with families and children as we celebrated America 250 with our free Kids Club event, Party in the Parking Lot. The event featured an all-American-style grillout with free hotdogs, and each store organized its own lineup of activities including games, face painting, bouncy houses, foam parties and more.
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This year, we’re supporting multiple Honor Flights across our region, including in Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, Dubuque, Peoria and the Quad Cities. The Des Moines flight is being organized by Hy-Vee and will be the first Honor Flight out of the Central Iowa region since 2019. The flight is scheduled for Oct. 7 and will take approximately 70 veterans to Washington, D.C. to visit the Arlington National Cemetery and several military monuments.
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Reminders of home This summer, Hy-Vee volunteers partnered with the USO to assemble 5,000 care packages for active service members. Each package contained everyday essentials and meaningful reminders of home. The packages were sent to military bases throughout our nine-state region including Camp Dodge, Offutt Airforce Base, Fort Riley and Fort Leonard Wood.
5,000 CARE PACKAGES
DELIVERED TO ACTIVE SERVICE MEMBERS
TAKE YOUR READING EXPERIENCE FURTHER. Scan the QR code to view the digital edition, where you can click on stories, explore additional content and watch videos that bring each story to life. Have good news to share? Send it to smilemag@hy-vee.com, and we may feature it in an upcoming issue of Smile.
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HY-VEE BENEFITS
PRIMARY CARE DESIGNED FOR REAL LIFE
In 2024, Hy-Vee joined forces with Exemplar Care, a membership-based medical practice that was designed to simplify healthcare. Today, Hy-Vee Health Exemplar Care is providing convenient, affordable and personalized care to Hy-Vee employees and families throughout the Midwest. Adding more clinics Today, we have Hy-Vee Health Exemplar Care clinics across the Midwest — with more scheduled to open across Hy-Vee’s region.
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HY-VEE BENEFITS
CORALVILLE, IA
16
Hy-Vee Health Exemplar Care locations operating in our 9-state region
OVERLAND PARK, KS
OMAHA, NE
HOW THE MEMBERSHIP WORKS All Hy-Vee Health Exemplar Care services are bundled into one low monthly membership fee. The membership covers: Unlimited primary/walk-in care visits: Get seen for fevers, sprains, earaches and other injuries. Also covers annual physical exams and treatment for ongoing chronic health conditions. Unrestricted provider access: Always stay connected with a provider through text, phone or telehealth. Enjoy same/next-day appointments. Other health services: Includes labs, generic medications and more. Translation services available in up to 300 languages at each clinic.
No copays. No insurance. Just ONE membership.
So, what does this mean for Hy-Vee employees? If you’re on Hy-Vee’s PREMIER or BASIC Benefit Plan: You and your covered dependents automatically get FREE healthcare memberships to Hy-Vee Health Exemplar Care. Not on one of those plans? You are eligible to purchase a healthcare membership at a special discounted rate. Memberships may be purchased using HSA funds.
Visit exemplar.care/hy-vee-employee to learn more.
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HY-VEE AWARDS The results are in! For the second consecutive year, Hy-Vee has become Great Place to Work Certified thanks to your feedback. Survey results showed that Hy-Vee ranked highly in workplace equality, and employees expressed strong pride in Hy-Vee’s commitment to supporting local communities. Thank you for sharing your experiences and helping make our company a great place to work!
A family-friendly workplace Hy-Vee has been named to Newsweek’s list of America’s Greatest Workplaces for Parents & Families, earning a 4 out of 5 score. Over the past several years, we’ve focused on bringing more convenience and savings to our employees and their families through special perks like the everyday grocery discount, flexible scheduling, healthcare membership options and more.
Hy-Vee earns top business ethics award Hy-Vee was one of five organizations to receive the 2026 Torch Award from the Better Business Bureau serving Greater Iowa. This award recognizes companies for their ethical
Retailer of the Year This summer, Hy-Vee landed on the cover of Frozen & Refrigerated Buyer magazine for being named Retailer of the Year. This recognition reflects our continued focus on product innovation and product assortment in the frozen and dairy categories and our continued emphasis on staying ahead of consumer trends. 26 |
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business practices built around trust, integrity and a dedication to serving others. Thank you for always going above-and-beyond to serve our customers and for being a Hy-Vee Helpful Smile! 560 stores acro internal sayin ss nine Midwestern states. “We ‘If you’re not g that was coined by have an one someone whohelping a customer, you of our early leaders: our company is.’ That phrase is repe should be helping ated often efforts fit into to help employees und thro erstand how ughout the larger pictu Beyond its their re of Hy-V ee.” high marks customer-centric appr for oach, Hy-V and tailored everything from oper ee assortments ational effic gets and private iency label programto health and wellness key industry initiatives s analysts). But (see page 34 for insig what makes hts J MEDIT ERRAN EAN its frozen and we wanted to hear mor from J EGGS particular refrigerated e about so H J SNACKS & APPS departme & DOUG readers. To successful — and so well BREADnts in find out, we senior vp of reached out -regarded by our mer HealthMarke chandising, and Elisato Doug Mezger, ts and dieti tians. Here Sloss, assistant vp of ’s what they FRB: What had to say: frozen and refrigerated the fastest A reflectio and categories n of Hy-Vee’s are growing Mezger: Prot how is Hy-Vee resp there really customer-ce ond ein is one of is “a helpful ntric philosop the fastest ing? smile in ever hy, growing y aisle.” across reta il — includingcategories customers — as we see in turn more custome frozen ancillary item ing to the frozen aisle ing toward rs movclea appetizers, s like frozen desserts s for convenient high-protein n ingredients and froz and en topp pastas and closely with bread prod ings, authentic section, beef diets. In the frozen our CPG part ucts , chicken and . Wor ratin r.com ners, we’ve king g mor frbuye gredient brea www. natural-i focused on n- our mar e of these items into incorpoour keting and our top mov ded poultry are some merchandisin sets and have adju of awarene ers, sted with nutritiou providing custome ss g rs custome and “surprise and delig strategies to bring mor are low pric s meal solutions that rs througho e ed and can ut their shop ht” moments to our be prepared quickly at ping experien Doug Mez home. ger FRB: Is ther ce. We also cont e erated whe a category or categori inue to see re you feel more es in frozen like Hy-Vee’s or most expa and refrigassortment nsiv e in the really hang your hat on? marketplace — a cate is the best Mezger: Ice gory you cream is one zen when it of our stro com nges Most recently, es to brand selection t areas in frobetter-for-yo we’ve been focused , variety and value. on u, single-se like HALO rve brands incorporating more TOP, Yasso into our froz sugar, mor and Protein en sets e protein and Pints, whic attract thos h offer a cont e rolled port have less ion size to seeing incr health-conscious cons easing dem and in the umers. Similarly, we’r space. On bett the e just as muc other end of the spec er-for-you novelty h focus into trum, we’r e putt Häagen-Daz premium bran s ds like Ben ing are seeking and Van Leeuwen to attract shop & Jerry’s, a mor pers who On the refri e indulgent treat. gerated fron categories, thanks in large t, dairy remains one with local of our top part to our dair strong relat toward heal y farmers… As cust ionships omers cont thier options, inue to mov incorporate e more high we’ve expanded our -protein opti dair — tradition al and drin ons, including y sets to kable — as yogurt well as cott age cheese. FRB: Unlike Launched most othe earlier this r grat supe ed better-fo rmarket year than 60,000 erate store-wi r-you products, Hy-Vs, which have inteproducts help, FoodHealth Scores nutritious for more thin-a-store ee continue Hy-Vee shop choices. stuck with pers make that and why HealthMarkets. Why s to opmore Sloss: The do you thin have you Hea destination lthMarket departme k it works for Hy-Vee? nt serves as for our cust omers and a builds upon nutrition Hy-Vee’s
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Companies that Care For the first time, Hy-Vee has landed on PEOPLE magazine’s list of Companies that Care. This annual list recognizes only 100 companies based on how they demonstrate respect, care and concern for their employees, their communities and the environment. Hy-Vee joins companies like Delta Air Lines, Wegmans, Publix, Hilton and Marriott hotels on this national list.
HY-VEE AWARDS
THE “MANE” ATTRACTION
North Dodge Hy-Vee claims Springtime Party crown The North Dodge Hy-Vee in Iowa City was named grand-prize winner of Hy-Vee’s 2026 Springtime Party contest. The store’s “Safari of Savings” theme scored highest among more than three dozen top finishers from 13 regions. The honor came with a $50,000 check and a trophy that was picked up by Store Director Tyler Rose. Springtime Party has been a Hy-Vee tradition since 1960. Initially, it was an opportunity for managers and employees to clean up the grounds outside and engage in deep cleaning inside. It later grew into a full-fledged sales contest, with judges fanning out across the Midwest to see which teams could create the biggest “wow” factor. Each store picks a theme, decorates around it, and creates related activities to drive sales. Many also turn it into a fundraising event to support local organizations.
6.63% The North Dodge Hy-Vee store saw a 6.63% sales increase during Springtime Party week.
Congratulations to the second quarter winners of the
Helpful Smile Excellence in Service Program
TERRI BARRY
SHARI BURRUS
CINDY DESA
ANDREA FOWLER
DANA GROVES
JUAN HERNANDEZ
LARRY HOLLENBECK
KIM JONDAL
JENNIFER MAHARRY
BENJAMIN MATHIS
ERROL MCDADE
VICTORIA MOON
SHERRI NAVRATIL
SHEROD TURNER
ANGIE VAN WYK
Stony Brook Hy-Vee Omaha
Crosspark Road Hy-Vee Coralville
Riverfront Hy-Vee Mankato
West Kimberly Road Hy-Vee Davenport
Winona Hy-Vee Winona
Hamilton Blvd. Hy-Vee Sioux City
Battlefield Road Hy-Vee, Springfield, MO
North Ankeny Blvd., Hy-Vee Fast & Fresh
PDI Ankeny
Whiting Strack & Van Til Whiting
WDM Hy-Vee Drugstore West Des Moines
Maplewood Hy-Vee Maplewood
95th St. Hy-Vee Overland Park
Kearney Hy-Vee Kearny
Pella Hy-Vee Pella
THE HELPFUL SMILE
EXCELLENCE IN SERVICE PROGRAM Winners will be selected each quarter based on nominations. Each winner will receive a gift along with a $50 gift card. All employees within the organization are eligible to win — in stores, distribution centers, subsidiaries and corporate offices.
Scan the QR code to nominate an outstanding employee who goes above and beyond in delivering exceptional service!