In-store program provides support to Feeding America® food banks in the fight against hunger
- Southeastern Grocers (SEG) launches Share a Meal campaign in partnership with The Coca-Cola Company.
- Share a Meal program to donate meals to Feeding America® food banks with purchase of a participating meal combo at any BI-LO, Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie deli department.
- SEG Gives Foundation to donate more than $100,000 to Feeding America food banks to kick off Share a Meal and combat summer hunger.
- BI-LO, Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie grocery stores encourage customers to round up at the register during the nationwide coin shortage as an additional way to give back to community with launch of SEG Positive Change Round Up Campaign.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Southeastern Grocers, Inc. (SEG), parent company and home of BI-LO, Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie grocery stores, together with the SEG Gives Foundation, today announces the Share a Meal program in partnership with The Coca-Cola Company. The campaign provides customers with a seamless opportunity to share a meal* with families in need through the simple purchase of a participating meal. To kick off the Share a Meal partnership, and help combat summer hunger, the SEG Gives Foundation will donate more than $100,000 to Feeding America® through its network of food banks. Additionally, the grocer encourages customers to round up their total grocery bill at the register to benefit Feeding America during the current nationwide coin shortage.
Now through Dec. 31, 2021, customers can help feed families in need by purchasing a Share a Meal combo at any BI-LO, Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie deli department. With each purchase of participating deli items and participating Coca-Cola products, 10 cents, or one meal, will be donated to Feeding America food banks throughout SEG’s seven-state footprint. The Share a Meal Program offers deli meal combinations including rotisserie chicken, mixed eight-piece baked chicken or mixed eight-piece fried chicken, with Coca-Cola products including Gold Peak Tea or smartwater.†
Anthony Hucker, President and CEO of Southeastern Grocers, said, “At Southeastern Grocers, we are committed to making a difference in the communities we serve. We are honored to partner with The Coca-Cola Company on the Share a Meal program to aid Feeding America in the ongoing fight against hunger. Our customers will now proudly be able to have a meal donated on their behalf with each participating purchase. We are stronger together, and we appreciate our customers who help us spread kindness throughout our communities.”
Pam Stewart, The Coca-Cola Company Senior Vice President, National Retail Sales, said, “Our partnership with Southeastern Grocers and Feeding America demonstrates Coca-Cola’s commitment to act on our purpose to make a difference, while supporting our valued customers. Through the Share a Meal program, we are working together to help fight food insecurity, which is especially critical in communities disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.”
Food insecurity is an ongoing issue that impacts 1 in 6 families throughout the Southeast. This year, more than 54 million people may face hunger due to work furloughs and industry layoffs because of the coronavirus pandemic – an estimated 46% increase from the 37 million people who struggled with food insecurity prior to the pandemic‡. Through Share a Meal, The Coca-Cola Company and SEG will help offset the effects of food insecurity by providing customers throughout the Southeast with the opportunity to support their communities in an impactful way.
Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, CEO of Feeding America, said, “As a result of the pandemic, food banks across the country have seen an increase in need for food assistance. At the same time, the charitable food system has faced hosts of challenges, including a decline in food donations, volunteers and other resources. Feeding America is grateful to Southeastern Grocers and The Coca-Cola Company for their support and commitment to helping our neighbors in need.”
Additionally, Southeastern Grocers has launched the SEG Positive Change Round Up Campaign to help minimize the impact of the nationwide coin shortage while also providing support to people in need as its associates, customers and neighbors continue to navigate the effects of COVID-19. Customers are encouraged to round up their total grocery bill to the nearest dollar at check out in support of various charitable organizations through the remainder of 2020. All spare change donated today through Aug. 4 will benefit Feeding America in its fight against hunger.
This latest community effort is an expansion of the grocer’s ongoing commitment to support its longstanding partner, Feeding America, through various initiatives that cultivate strong relationships between its stores and local food banks, including associate volunteer efforts, community campaigns, food contributions and collaborations with partners like The Coca-Cola Company. In addition to the SEG Gives Foundation’s more than $100,000 donation to kick off Share a Meal, Southeastern Grocers helped the country face the surge of COVID-19 earlier this year with a $250,000 donation to Feeding America as well as a contribution of nearly 258,000 $5 hunger relief bags equaling more than $1.28 million worth of food. The grocer, its foundation and generous customers have donated more than $2.5 million in addition to tens of millions of pounds of food to Feeding America through various charitable programs since 2017.
About Southeastern Grocers
Southeastern Grocers, Inc. (SEG), parent company and home of BI-LO, Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie grocery stores, is one of the largest conventional supermarket companies in the U.S. SEG grocery stores, liquor stores and in-store pharmacies serve communities throughout the seven southeastern states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina and South Carolina. BI-LO, Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie are well-known and well-respected regional brands with deep heritages, strong neighborhood ties, proud histories of giving back, talented and caring associates and strong commitments to providing the best possible quality and value to customers. For more information, visit www.bi-lo.com, www.frescoymas.com, www.harveyssupermarkets.com and www.winndixie.com.
About SEG Gives Foundation
SEG Gives Foundation is the charitable arm of Southeastern Grocers, parent company of BI-LO, Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie stores. SEG Gives Foundation aligns our giving with the causes that are important to the communities we serve, including the fight against hunger, support for military servicemen and women and their family members and relief to those affected by extreme weather and natural disasters.
About The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is a total beverage company, offering over 500 brands in more than 200 countries and territories. In addition to the company’s Coca-Cola brand, our portfolio includes AdeS, Ayataka, Costa, Dasani, Del Valle, Fanta, Georgia, Gold Peak, Honest, innocent, Minute Maid, Powerade, Simply, smartwater, Sprite, vitaminwater and ZICO. We’re constantly transforming our portfolio, from reducing sugar in our drinks to bringing innovative new products to market. We’re also working to reduce our environmental impact by replenishing water and promoting recycling. With our bottling partners, we employ more than 700,000 people, helping bring economic opportunity to local communities worldwide. Learn more at Coca-Cola Journey at www.coca-colacompany.com and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.
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*$1 helps to provide at least ten meals secured by Feeding America® on behalf of local member food banks.
† A deli meal combination consists of the purchase of one of the following deli meal items from the deli section – rotisserie chicken, 8-piece fried chicken (mixed) or 8-piece baked chicken (mixed), along with one or more of the following drinks – 2-1.25 L bottles of Coca Cola, 64 oz. Gold Peak tea or 1.5 L of smartwater.
‡Source: Feeding America
Contacts
For SEG interviews, or images contact:
Kaley Shaffer, Director of Public Relations and Community
904-612-9441 (cell)
media@segrocers.com
