Inside the Story of How H-E-B Planned for the Pandemic

Texas Monthly ^ | Date Mar 26, 2020 | By Dan Solomon and Paula Forbes

[thecodont]

The coronavirus pandemic has transformed the country in just a handful of weeks. As Americans focus on the essentials—feeding our families and ensuring we have the necessary supplies to keep our households clean and safe—grocery stores and pharmacies have demonstrated just how crucial they are to a functioning society.

We’ve seen chains struggle with the challenges the current crisis presents. Some stores are instituting policies limiting the numbers of shoppers allowed in at a time, creating long waits to enter. Perhaps even worse, other stores are not, leaving their shops a free-for-all without adequate social distancing measures. Staples like flour and yeast, to say nothing of hand sanitizer and toilet paper, are proving difficult to find on shelves. Supply chains are taxed. And the conditions faced by employees vary wildly by chain, with stores developing new (sometimes controversial) policies around sick leave for the workers who have proved themselves essential, and often doing so on the fly.

San Antonio-based H-E-B has been a steady presence amid the crisis. The company began limiting the amounts of certain products customers were able to purchase in early March; extended its sick leave policy and implemented social distancing measures quickly; limited its hours to keep up with the needs of its stockers; added a coronavirus hotline for employees in need of assistance or information; and gave employees a $2 an hour raise on March 16, as those workers, many of whom are interacting with the public daily during this pandemic, began agitating for hazard pay.

[Jane Long]

I don’t think so....I think between Texas and Mexico....they have about all they can handle. :-(

What do you miss most?

My friend, who moved away, likes their salsa (jar).

[Jane Long]

We tried those steaks, once, when Rush was advertising for them.

Not even close to the quality of HEB butcher cut steaks.

[Jane Long]

Back at the end of January, before the Wuhan hit the fans, HEB had their grass fed briskets and chuck roasts on sale. I want to say for $4.99/#.

I drove around to several HEBs and stocked up, with that sale price.

Came home and vacuum sealed (for freezer) and/or pressure canned all of it.

I don’t think the butcher, at my area HEB has missed me, during this pandemic.

[Lockbox]

HEB has an emergency plan for major disasters. I learned when a hurricane hit Texas causing large area of damage and loss of electricity. It took grocery stores 4 to 5 days to open. Not HEB! Two days, up and running! How? Off site store of supplies near each store, including generators. Truck in frozen food since they assumed frozen food destroyed. Get employees from out of the affected area since HEB knew many of a stores employees would have their own problems due to the disaster. This company thinks outside the box and works very hard to help the community. You find out when many people are out of food & water and cannot go the extra two to three days it took other grocery store to get back into operation. There is a reason HEB is ranked as one of the highest.

read this and you will be impressed:

Inside the Story of How H-E-B Planned for the Pandemic

https://www.texasmonthly.com/food/heb-prepared-coronavirus-pandemic/

[Carriage Hill]

What is HEB? A local store?

[trisham]

H-E-B is an American privately held supermarket chain based in San Antonio, Texas, with more than 350 stores throughout the U.S. state of Texas, as well as in northeast Mexico.[2][3] The company also operates Central Market, an upscale organic and fine foods retailer.[4] As of 2017, the company has a total revenue surpassing US$25 billion.[5] H-E-B ranked No. 12 on Forbes’ 2019 list of “America’s Largest Private Companies”.[6] H-E-B was named Retailer of the Year in 2010 by Progressive Grocer.[7] Supermarket News ranked H-E-B No. 13 in the 2008 “Top 75 North American Food Retailers”.[8] Based on 2014 revenues, H-E-B is the twentieth largest retailer in the United States.[9] It donates 5% of pre-tax profits to charity.[10]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H-E-B

[nascarnation]

The founder was Howard E. Butt, Sr.

[Jane Long]

Yes...local/much of state store.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H-E-B

https://www.heb.com/

[Jane Long]

A beautiful sight 😉

[Chode]

other than they’ll be picking yer meat, i;m sure they would

[Carriage Hill]

Yes, I Googled it a little while ago, and their selection looks outstanding. Freshly-butchered meat is very different and better tasting than frozen meat, anyday.

For the past 15yrs, I’ve bought freshly-butchered products locally from a family business’ meat that’s only seen the inside of a cooler for less than an hour, and the quality and taste is amazing. Here in PA, they raise a lot of beef, pork, chicken, veal etc (I won’t eat veal; it’s a cruel meat).

I though HEB was an online operation, but they’re local. I wish we had one around here.

[Texas Fossil]

Thanks for the great post.

Here is a response nearby that shows what Texas Culture is.

Social Distancing Parade, past Nursing home

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10207747316558698&id=1767024175?sfnsn=mo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDs1qK99sAw

[thecodont]

That’s great! Thanks for sharing.

People can come up with creative ways to deal with social distancing yet still stay in touch.

[Texas Fossil]

I always keep a pound of dry yeast in the refrig. Put the opened foil bag inside a tight sealing Tupperware canister. Only take it out of the refrig long enough to spoon 1-1/2 TSP’s for 2 packet as per recipe. Put it right back so it won’t sweat and ruin the yeast. Have been doing it for many years.

Have been the family baker for over 40 years.

You can by a pound of dry yeast for about $4 per package. I recently bought one at HEB. They normally have a very good price on it.

I have no trouble keeping dried yeast active for over a year by this method.

[Texas Fossil]

We have a nearby locally owned grocery store in Haskell that is large enough to have what you need and not the hassle to shop. They compete pretty well with HEB on price, and the selection is very good. They have an in-store meat department and package it daily. Best quality meat department in the whole region. Very fresh. Produce department is good too. WalMart put a mini store in that town and it did not last a year. They sold it and pulled out.

The owner had 3 stores in Wichita Falls before moving here. He and his son know what they are doing.

We buy from HEB in Abilene, but only when we have business there. (I have a full pantry)

People from as far as Paris Texas and many from the DFW metro mess came in over the past 3 weeks to that store. I show there often and could spot them.

[Texas Fossil]

Yes. I agree.

[Svartalfiar]

HEB doesn’t appear to be in the North Dallas area suburbs. We have a central market but it’s near downtown.

There's several Central Markets that aren't close to downtown. Preston / Forrest, or on the east side there's one at Lovers and 75 (Greenville). There's also one way up at Coit and G.Bush.

And yes, they're definitely better than Whole Foods.

[mabarker1]

I would trust them because of the selection has/is been top quality.

[mabarker1]

That’s quite a setup they’ve got going there.

[mabarker1]

Last time We were back to the real world (Texas) Brisket was $1.99/#. That was a few years ago so with inflation the prices here must be about $10/# now. I’m almost afraid to look here now.