Dive Brief:

• On Tuesday, H-E-B’s president Craig Boyan announced a $1 million fund to address racial inequalities and injustices, the company announced on its Facebook page. The fund was established after the recent death of George Floyd and ensuing protests highlighting racial injustice in the U.S. 
• The retailer said it wants to take a stand against what happened to Floyd, as well as the tragic deaths of other black lives throughout history. Customers can donate to the fund by visiting H-E-B’s website, choosing a donation amount, adding it to their existing cart or checking out with a free Curbside pickup slot. 
• "H-E-B was founded over 115 years ago on the unwavering belief that each and every person counts," Boyan said in a video the company released on Facebook. "Treating all people with dignity and respect is at the core of what unites us. We all must take a stand against what happened to George Floyd and so many other black lives throughout history. We stand together with the black community against the divisive nature of racism, intolerance, discrimination and hate."

Dive Insight:

H-E-B is known for its close involvement in the Texas community and being a consumer-centric company, but Boyan said it also has a responsibility to highlight injustice at home and abroad. As a result, the grocer is branching out its humanitarian efforts to issues that are facing the entire nation, not just Texas. 

“Fellow Texans, together we have the power to make real change and help make this a better world for everyone,” Boyan said in the video posted to Facebook.

The grocer is one of the first food retailers to pledge money to the cause of racial injustice. Other retailers, including Kroger and Lidl, have made supportive statements. As protests grew and turned to looting in some cities, grocers instituted operational changes including store shutdowns and early closures due to curfews and protests. 

H-E-B’s stores were spared of any looting or damages. The retailer did close a few of its stores in downtown San Antonio and Austin due to road closures for protestors. 

The retailer also announced this week it will no longer require its shoppers to wear face masks, but still strongly encourages it and will still require employees and suppliers to wear them. H-E-B was one of the few grocery chains that made it mandatory for customers to wear masks, having implemented the policy in mid-April. 

Due to its operational response during COVID-19, H-E-B received the highest customer customer satisfaction rate (80%) in a survey by Bond Brand Loyalty, far outpacing runners-up Costco and Walmart, which both scored 61%.