Get your grocery store to be Slim by Design
Let the CEO of your favorite grocery store know the changes you think would be healthy, reasonable, and profitable to make.
Your favorite grocery store can help make you slim by design because the manager can has some local flexibility in what he sells, how he prices food, and what he promotes in the store. Here’s a case when you get a chance to act both locally and globally. If you’re not sure what to say, you can copy parts or all of any of the sample letters below. Both the manager and the CEO know you have other choices where to spend $5000 a year on groceries, and Wal-Mart they won’t take it lightly if they hear from you or see your #WalMart or #GreatforYou tweet. Nor will #Kroger, #Publix, #WinnDixie, #Dominicks, #HEB, #HyVee or whatever grocery store you shop at most often. Let them know how they can help you become slim by design. Here are the addresses and Twitter hashtags to get you started.
Sample Letter to Send to Your Favorite Local Grocery Store
Dear Manager,
For some time, your grocery store has been my go-to store for all my family’s groceries. I really enjoy your responsive employees, your wide selection, and the cleanliness of the store. Thank you for all that you do to make shopping a special experience. Recently, my family and I have been trying to buy healthier food–more fruits, vegetables, and lean meat–and less of the highly processed foods.
For instance, we’ve been doing things like dividing our cart in half with a coat or purse and filling the front half with these healthier foods. We’ve also been walking through the healthier aisles first so that we fill our cart with healthier food. The reason I mention this is there might be some easy ways your grocery store could profitably help make it easier for people like us to shop for healthier food.
Another example is having a candy-free checkout aisle would help cut down candy impulse purchases, and you could replace the candy with other high-margin impulse purchase items such as batteries, desk accessories, and so forth. Parents with small children might even choose your store because you give them an option that keeps kids from having a candy meltdown at the checkout line, which nobody enjoys.
The book Slim by Design by Brian Wansink offers many other ways you could profitably make it easier for your customers to shop healthier—ideas that have worked at other stores, such as angling the produce displays at 30° and 45°, using floor decals, putting your healthiest food in Aisles 1, 2, and 3, and using healthy co-promotions on end-aisle displays. Thanks for taking the time to consider how you can help make us healthier and happier. I look forward to visiting you again soon and finding it easier to shop a little bit healthier so we will eat a little bit healthier. Let me know if you would like to discuss this further, and let me know how I can help you.
Sincerely, [your name]
Sample Letter to Send to Your Local Grocery Store’s CEO
Dear [name],
For some time, your grocery store in [city, state] has been my go-to store for all my family’s groceries. Your manager there works to make shopping a special experience, and I really enjoy his responsive employees, wide selection, and the cleanliness of the store.
Recently, my family and I have been trying to buy healthier food–more fruits, vegetables, and lean meat–and less of the highly processed foods. For instance, we’ve been doing things like dividing our cart in half with a coat or purse and filling the front half with these healthier foods. We’ve also been walking through the healthier aisles first so we fill our cart with healthier food.
The reason I mention this is there might be some easy ways that you as the CEO could profitably help make it easier for people like us to shop for healthier food in your stores. For instance, having a candy-free checkout aisle would help cut down candy impulse purchases, and you could replace the candy with other high-margin impulse purchase items such as batteries, desk accessories, and so forth. Parents with small children might even choose your store because you give them an option that keeps kids from having a candy meltdown at the checkout line, which nobody enjoys.
The book Slim by Design by Brian Wansink offers many other ways you could profitably make it easier for your customers to shop healthier—ideas that have worked at other stores, such as angling the produce displays at 30° and 45°, using floor decals, putting your healthiest food in Aisles 1, 2, and 3, and using healthy co-promotions on end-aisle displays. Thanks for taking the time to consider how you could make small changes to your stores to help make us healthier and happier. I look forward to visiting you again soon and finding it easier to shop a little bit healthier so we’ll eat a little bit healthier. Let me know if you would like to discuss this further, and let me know how I can help you.
Sincerely, [your name]
How to Reach Out to Your Favorite Grocery Store Via Twitter
1) Reply to or mention their name with [email protected] The @ sign is used to call out usernames in Tweets, like this: Hello @Twitter! When a username is preceded by the @ sign, it becomes a link to a Twitter profile.
2) Mention their name with a hashtag “#”. Hashtags are used as a way to categorize messages and to help them show more easily in Twitter Search. Clicking on a hashtagged word in any message shows you all other Tweets marked with that keyword – #cornelluniversity
3) Link your suggestions to the Slim by Design hashtag – #slimbydesign so we can see how you’re doing.
Headquarter Info for Selected Grocery Stores
Acme Fresh Market Twitter handle - @acmefreshmarket Twitter hashtag - #acmemarkets Acme Fresh Markets Consumer Marketing PO Box 1910 Akron, OH 44309 330-733-2263 Contact Form Albertsons Twitter handle - @Albertsons, @AlbertsonsHelpr Twitter hashtag - #albertsons 877-932-7948 Andronico's Twitter handle - @Andronicos1 Twitter hashtag - #Andronicos Associated Supermarkets Twitter handle - @myassociated Twitter hashtag - #AssociatedSupermarket 1800 Rockaway Ave., Suite 200 Hewlett, NY 11557 (516) 256-3100 Bakers Grocery Twitter handle - @BakersGrocery The Kroger Co. 1014 Vine Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202-1100 800-576-4377 Contact Form Bashas' Supermarkets Twitter handle - @BashasMarkets Twitter hashtags - #bashas, #BashasMarkets Bashas' Corporate Offices 22402 S. Basha Road Chandler, AZ 85248 (800) 755-7292 Contact Form Big Y Markets Twitter handle - @BigYFoods Twitter hashtag - #BigYFoods 1-800-828-2688 Contact Form Bi-Lo Twitter handle - @BILOSuperSaver Twitter hashtag - #bilo BI-LO, LLC Attn: Customer Support Center P.O. Box 99 Mauldin, SC 29662 1.800.768.4438 BJsWholesale Twitter handle - @BJsWholesale Twitter hashtag - #bjswholesale Brookshire Brothers Twitter handle - @BrookshireBros Twitter hashtag - #BrookshireBros Brookshire Brothers Attn: Customer Relations 1201 Ellen Trout Dr. Lufkin, TX 75904 (936) 634-8155 Contact Form Brookshire's Twitter handle - @Brookshires_ Twitter hashtag - #Brookshire 1-888-937-3776 Buehler's Fresh Food Twitter handle - @BuehlersGrocery Twitter hashtag - #buehlers Consumer Affairs Buehler’s Fresh Foods PO Box 196 Wooster, OH 44691 1-888-283-4537 Contact Form City Market Twitter handle - @MyCityMarket The Kroger Co. 1014 Vine Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202-1100 800-576-4377 Contact Form Costco Twitter handle - @CostcoTweets Twitter hashtag - #costco Contact Form C-Town Supermarkets Twitter handle - @CtownMarkets Alpha I Marketing Corp. 65 West Red Oak Lane White Plains, NY 10604 Attn: Alpha I Marketing Operations (914) 697-5300 Contact Form Defense Commissary Agency Twitter handle - @YourCommissary Twitter hashtags - #Commissary, #milfam, #milspouse, #milso Dillons Twitter handle - @DillonsGrocery The Kroger Co. 1014 Vine Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202-1100 800-576-4377 Contact Form Dominick's Twitter handle - @Dominicks Twitter hashtag - #Dominicks Customer Service Center Safeway Inc. - M/S 10501 P.O. Box 29093 Phoenix, AZ 85038-9093 1-877-723-3929 Family Fare Twitter handle - @shopfamilyfare 1-800-451-8500 Contact Form Fareway Food Stores Twitter handle - @Fareway_Stores Twitter hashtag - #fareway Contact Form Fiesta Mart Twitter handle - @FiestaMart Twitter hashtag - #FiestaMart Contact Form Food 4 Less Twitter handle - @Food4Less Twitter hashtag - #Food4Less The Kroger Co. 1014 Vine Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202-1100 800-576-4377 Contact Form Food City Twitter handle - @FoodCity Twitter hashtag - #FoodCity Food Lion Twitter handle - @FoodLion Twitter hashtag - #foodlion Food Lion Attn: Customer Relations P.O. Box 1330 Salisbury, NC 28145-1330 800-210-9569 Contact Form Fred Meyer Twitter handle - @Fred_Meyer Twitter hashtag - #fredmeyer 1-866-518-2686 Contact Form Fry's Food Stores Twitter handle - @FrysFoodStores Twitter hashtag - #frysfood The Kroger Co. 1014 Vine Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202-1100 800-576-4377 Contact Form Giant Eagle Twitter handle - @GiantEagle Twitter hashtag - #gianteagle 800-553-2324 Contact Form Giant Food Stores Twitter handle - @GiantFoodStores 1-888-814-4268 Contact Form Giant of Maryland Twitter handle - @GiantFood 8301 Professional Place, Suite 115 Landover, MD 20785 Phone: 301-341-4100 1-888-469-4426 Contact Form Grocery Outlet Twitter handle - @GroceryOutlet Twitter hashtags - #groceryoutlet, #BargainMarket 2000 Fifth Street Berkeley, CA 94710 (510) 845-1999 Contact Form Hannaford Twitter handle - @Hannaford Twitter hashtags - #hannaford, #HannafordHelpsSchools Hannaford Supermarkets 145 Pleasant Hill Road Scarborough, ME 04074 (800) 213-9040 Contact Form Harris Teeter Twitter handle - @HarrisTeeter Twitter hashtag - #HarrisTeeter Harris Teeter Inc Attn: Customer Relations PO box 10100 Matthews, NC 28106-0100 1-800-432-6111 Contact Form H-E-B Twitter handle - @HEB Twitter hashtags - #primopicks, #HEB H-E-B Attention: Customer Relations Department P.O. Box 839999 San Antonio, TX 78283-3999 800-432-3113 Contact Form Hy-Vee Twitter handle - @HyVee Twitter hashtag - #hyvee Hy-Vee, Inc. 5820 Westown Parkway West Des Moines, Iowa 50266-8223 1-800-772-4098 Contact Form Jewel-Osco Twitter handle - @jewelosco Twitter hashtag - #jewelosco Attn: Customer Service 157 S. Howard St. Spokane, WA 99201 1-877-932-7948 Kroger Twitter handle - @kroger Twitter hashtag - #kroger The Kroger Co. 1014 Vine Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202-1100 800-576-4377 Contact Form Lowes Foods Twitter handle - @LowesFoods Twitter hashtags -#SmartShopper, #SuperDoubles, #lowesfood Lowes Foods ATTN: Merchandising PO Box 24908 Winston-Salem, NC 27114-4908 888.537.8646 Contact Form Market Basket Twitter handle - @mydemoulas Twitter hashtags - #marketbasket, #mydemoulas Market Street Twitter handle - @MarketStreet_TX Twitter hashtag - #marketstreet Store Support Center United Supermarkets, LLC 7830 Orlando Ave. Lubbock, TX 79423 1-877-848-6483 Marsh Supermarkets Twitter handle - @MarshGrocery Twitter hashtag - #marshsupermarkets 1-800-382-8798 Contact Form Meijer Twitter handle - @meijer Twitter hashtags - #Meijer, #MeijerGameFace, #meijerstyle Meijer 2929 Walker Ave., NW Grand Rapids, MI 49544-9424 877-363-4537 Contact Form Pathmark Twitter handle - @Pathmark Twitter hashtag - #pathmark Pick 'n Save Twitter handle - @PicknSaveStores Twitter hashtags - #MyPicknSave, #PickNSave 1-866-279-6269 Contact Form Price Chopper Twitter handle - @PriceChopper Twitter hashtags - #pricechopper, #choppinprices Price Chopper Supermarkets 461 Nott St. Schenectady, NY 12308 Attn: Consumer Services 1-800-666-7667 Contact Form Publix Twitter handle - @Publix, @PublixHelps Twitter hashtag - #Publix Publix Super Markets Corporate Office ATTN: Customer Care PO Box 407 Lakeland, FL 33802-0407 800-242-1227 Contact Form Raley's Supermarkets Twitter handle - @raleys Twitter hashtags - #raleys, #5DollarMonday Raley's Service Center 500 West Capitol Ave. West Sacramento, CA 95605 (800) 925-9989 Contact Form Ralphs Twitter handle - @RalphsGrocery The Kroger Co. 1014 Vine Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202-1100 800-576-4377 Contact Form Randalls Twitter handle - @Randalls_Stores Twitter hashtag - #Randalls Customer Service Center Safeway Inc. - M/S 10501 P.O. Box 29093 Phoenix, AZ 85038-9093 1-877-723-3929 Contact Form Safeway Twitter handle - @Safeway Customer Service Center Safeway Inc. - M/S 10501 P.O. Box 29093 Phoenix, AZ 85038-9093 877-723-3929 Contact Form Save Mart Twitter handle - @SaveMart Twitter hashtags - #FreshComesFirst, #MakeMealsPeppy, #Savemart Save Mart Supermarkets Attn: Consumer Relations P.O. Box 4278 Modesto, CA 95352 (800) 692-5710 Save-A-Lot Twitter handle - @savealot Contact Form Schnucks Twitter handle - @SchnuckMarkets Twitter hashtag - #schnucks Contact Form Sedanos Supermarkets Twitter handle - @Sedanos Twitter hashtag - #Sedanos 3140 West 76 Street Hialeah, FL 33018 305.824.1034 Contact Form ShopRite Twitter handle - @ShopRiteStores Twitter hashtag - #shoprite ShopRite Customer Care PO Box 7812 Edison, NJ 08818 1-800-746-7748 Contact Form Smart & Final Twitter handle - @smartfinal Twitter hashtags - #ChooseSmart, #SmartFinal 600 Citadel Dr. Commerce, CA 90040 (323) 869-7500 Sprouts Farmers Market Twitter handle - @sproutsfm Twitter hashtags - #sproutsfm, #sproutsfarmersmarket Sprouts Farmers Market Corporate Office 11811 N. Tatum Blvd., Suite 2400 Phoenix, AZ 85028 1-888-577-7688 Contact Form Stater Bros. Market Twitter handle - @Stater_Brothers Twitter hashtags - #StaterBros, #StaterBrosCustomers Stater Bros. Corporate Office 301 S. Tippecanoe Ave. San Bernardino, CA 92408 (888) 992-9977 Contact Form Strack & Van Til Twitter handle - @StrackAndVanTil Twitter hashtags - #StrackAndVanTil Contact Form Straub's Markets Twitter handle - @StraubsMarkets Twitter hashtag - #straubs 8282 Forsyth Blvd Saint Louis, Missouri 63105 (314) 725-2121 Target Twitter handle - @target 1-800-591-3869 Contact Form The Fresh Market Twitter handle - @TheFreshMarket Twitter hashtag - #thefreshmarket Attn: Customer Loyalty 628 Green Valley Road, Suite 500 Greensboro, NC 27408-7041 866-817-4367 Contact Form The Ingles Advantage Twitter handle - @InglesAdvantage Twitter hashtag - #InglesAdvantage Post Office Box 6676 Asheville, NC 28816 (828) 669-2941 Tops Markets Twitter handle - @TopsPRODUCE TOPS Markets Attn: Customer Service PO Box 1027 Buffalo, NY 14240-1027 1-800-522-2522 Contact Form United Supermarkets Twitter handle - @UnitedWestTexas Twitter hashtag - #UnitedSupermarkets Store Support Center United Supermarkets, LLC 7830 Orlando Ave. Lubbock, TX 79423 1-877-848-6483 Contact Form Vons Twitter handle - @Vons_Pavilions Twitter hashtag - #vons Customer Service Center Safeway Inc. - M/S 10501 P.O. Box 29093 Phoenix, AZ 85038-9093 1-877-723-3929 Contact Form Waldbaum's Twitter handle - @waldbaums Twitter hashtag - #waldbaums Contact Form Walmart Twitter handle - @Walmart, @WalmartHealthy Twitter hashtag - #GreatForYou Contact Form Wegmans Twitter handle - @Wegmans Twitter hashtag - #Wegmans Wegmans Food Markets 1500 Brooks Avenue PO Box 30844 Rochester, NY 14603-0844 800-933-6267 Contact Form Weis Markets Twitter handle - @WeisMarkets Twitter hashtag - #WeisRD 1000 South Second Street PO Box 471 Sunbury, Pennsylvania 17801 1-866-999-9347 Contact Form Whole Foods Twitter handle - @WholeFoods Twitter hashtag - #WFMdish Whole Foods Market, Inc. 550 Bowie Street Austin, TX 78703-4644 512-477-4455 Contact Form WinCo Foods Twitter handle - @WinCoFoods Twitter hashtag - #WinCo P.O. Box 5756 Boise, Idaho 83705-5756 (208) 377-0110 Contact Form Winn-Dixie Twitter handle - @WinnDixie Twitter hashtags - #AskWinnDixie, #ImBeefPeople, #winndixie P.O. Box B, Jacksonville, FL 32203-0297 (866) 946-6349 Contact Form Woodmans Food Market Twitter handle - @WoodmansFood22, @WoodmansFood14, @WoodmansFood33, @WoodmansFood29, @WoodmansFood1, @WoodmansFood27, @WoodmansFood16, @WoodmansFood20, @WoodmansFood39, @WoodmansFood35, @WoodmansFood37, @WoodmansFood24, @WoodmansFood30, @WoodmansFood31, @WoodmansFood40 Twitter hashtags - #woodmans, #WoodmansFoodMarket 922 Milton Ave. Woodman’s Corporate Offices 2631 Liberty Lane Janesville, WI 53545 Contact Form