04/19/2020
FAMILY FOODS RESPONSE TO OUR CUSTOMERS
We as a nation are going through very difficult times with the Coronavirus impact on our daily lives. As an owner of Family Foods, I have never experienced anything like this, nor has anyone else currently living.
As an owner of Family Foods, we have always made ethical decisions and operated the business to provide our customers a grocery store that provides a service and products at the lowest price to pay expenses and keep the doors open to service our customers.
Mike Hollowell, my partner and Jennifer, our store manager are fine people who demand a total commitment from our associates on service, friendliness, and providing the cleanest conditions of any store you will visit. They work hard every day to get deals on all grocery items and no one will beat us on our meat quality and prices, and I mean no one. We have highly qualified and hard-working butchers seven days a week and will cut your meat to order. You cannot get that at any of our competitors nor do they match our prices.
In the past few weeks, there has been a frenzy of posts on Facebook concerning pricing we have on paper towels and toilet paper and who knows what else. The Virginia Attorney General’s office has responded to some of the Citizens’ demands to review our records for price gouging. They requested that we provide them copies of invoices for our cost on certain products as well as the suggested retail prices by our grocery wholesaler. We welcomed this investigation and fully complied and cooperated with the investigators to provide any and all information they requested. We are totally innocent of price gouging as accused.
We know that the pricing appears high on some products, but we have no control over what we are having to pay and there are no deals being offered during these difficult times. The supply chain is severely stressed by the virus and everyone is scrambling just to get products. Mike has been working seven days a week and ordered anything our wholesaler offered in hopes that we could get product in to supply you. Yes, we are having to pay more and charge more on some products, but we believed that it was more important to have products available. Although the size, ounces, or pack may not be the best and may be expensive, the decision to purchase is one you as a consumer can make as to whether you purchase what we have. If you think it is too expensive, do not purchase it from us. We are not happy about what we are having to charge for it, but we do have to sell it for more than we pay for it to cover expenses and keep the doors open.
We have had our team members verbally abused by irate customers. These people are putting their lives on the line for you and we would hope and request that you be considerate of them in these difficult times. Please treat them with respect and kindness.
If you have a complaint, then present it to Jennifer and we will respond within three days to you personally. We have a form which you are welcome to complete and we will give you full disclosure and respond to you.
We will never satisfy all of our customers but it is not from trying. We appreciate your patronage and will always try to meet and exceed your expectations.
To all of our loyal Family Foods shoppers and supporters, we will continue to work even harder to earn your trust and your business. We appreciate your support and hope that you will send your family and friends, and even convert some of the people critical of us to shop with us in the future. We will get through this difficult crisis stronger and you can trust that Family Foods and our family are working for you every day.
We thank you for your support and hope all of you stay healthy. We want to continue to see each and every one in our store and have the opportunity to serve you.
Bill Alexander
President
