Forbes, the American business magazine well known for its annual lists, including those of the richest Americans (the Forbes 400) and the world’s top companies, has debuted a new set of rankings. Dubbed Halo 100, the catalog recognizes U.S. companies across different industries that excel at responsibly delivering great customer experiences. It is the result of feedback from 110,000 customers on more than 2.8 million interactions with the different brands they chose over the past year. The publication partnered with data and analytics company HundredX to collect the customer experience feedback. Consumers were asked to select up to 75 brands that matter to them from more than 2,000 options and share their opinions and experience with those brands, including their views on such factors as treatment of customers, treatment of employees, sustainability efforts, community support, and social stances. In return, the Dallas-based firm gave money to the survey participants’ favorite charities. The goal, according to founder Rob Pace, was “to measure the outcomes you’re creating for customers versus their other options.” Topping the list was Costco, which the publication pointed out “has even chartered its own ocean vessels to keep a steady supply of low-cost products flowing to its 113 million members.” By default, it was also number one in the industry sub-category of superstores. Publix and Trader Joe’s rounded out the overall top five and were number one and two, respectively, for the industry sub-category for grocery.
In response to their high ranking on the list, Publix director of communications Maria Brous stated, “For more than 90 years, we’ve been passionately focused on customer value. Our customers know they’ll have a pleasurable shopping experience, receive help from friendly, knowledgeable associates and find unique, quality products at Publix. Being named to this list is a reflection of our associates’ dedication to treating our customers like royalty.”
Other retailers in our region making the illustrious list were: Wawa, which ranked 12th overall and first in the convenience stores industry sub-category; Target was 16th overall and second for superstores;  Sprouts Farmers Market came in 49th place, fifth in grocery; Sam’s Club rounded out the top 50 and was third for superstores; and Kroger eked its way into the rankings by grabbing the 86th slot overall and seventh for grocery.
A hearty congratulations to all of the retailers from our market that made the cut!
Another industry list that just came out is the 2022 Product of the Year (POY) Awards, the world’s largest consumer-voted award for product innovation. Established over 30 years ago in France, POY operates in more than 40 countries with the goal of guiding consumers to the best products in their market and rewarding manufacturers for quality and innovation. Entries are accepted every year from consumer packaged goods companies that demonstrate innovation for products that were launched within the previous year. Entered products are then placed into specific categories such as food, beverages, personal care, household care, etc., with a product then being chosen as a winner in its category through a nationally representative online study of 40,000 Americans conducted by global data analytics and brand consulting company, Kantar. Winning products are announced in February of each year and receive the right to use the POY seal in marketing communications for two years.
This year, the product winners in the 40 categories include PepsiCo’ s Pepsi Mango beverage for soft drink, Ferrero USA’s Kinder Bueno Mini for candy bar, Ferrara’s NERDS Gummy Clusters for sugar confections, Del Monte’s Joyba Bubble Tea for coffee and tea, Daiya’s Plant-Based Cheese Shreds for plant-based food, and Quorn Foods’ Quorn Meatless Homestyle & Kickin’ ChiQin Cutlets for meatless.
“Given the continued flux and uncertainty over the past two years, we’re prouder than ever to provide consumers with the vote of 40,000 fellow shoppers as a guide they can trust when making important purchase decisions for themselves and their families,” said Mike Nolan, Global CEO of Product of the Year management. “One of the great strengths of Product of the Year is that we champion manufacturers for putting forward products that reflect the latest trends and offer consumers the solutions they’re looking for.”
However, there was one brand that dominated this year’s awards – Aldi, which triumphed in these seven categories: bakery, cheese, convenience meal, dips and condiments, salty snack, breakfast and alcoholic beverage. Kudos to all of the winners! To see the complete list, go to productoftheyearusa.com/winners-2022/.
Speaking of Aldi, with 150 new stores set to open across the U.S. this year, the German discount supermarket chain is on track to become the nation’s third-largest grocery store chain, behind Kroger and Walmart. With its rapid U.S. expansion, enthusiastic cult following amongst consumers, award winning wines and extremely affordable prices, Aldi may be the next golden child of the industry.
Another retailer that seems to be continually on the rise, The Giant Company (TGC), has a bee in its bonnet, so to speak, after a recent theft at its corporate headquarters. Three beehives and their colonies of approximately 60,000 bees were stolen sometime late last month between January 28 and January 30. The hives and their inhabitants were part of a seven-acre pollinator-friendly solar field that the Carlisle, PA brand of Ahold Delhaize USA had completed in June 2020 to help combat dwindling bee populations, which are essential to the agricultural industry. According to the University of Maryland-led non-profit, Bee Informed Partnership, beekeepers in the United States lost an estimated 45.5 percent of their managed honey bee colonies between April 2020 and April 2021 alone and this population has been declining for over three decades, which is troubling since honey bees pollinate around $15 billion worth of food crops in the U.S. each year.
“Bees are an essential part of our food supply chain and having these beehives were one way we were helping to address the declining bee population here in our hometown community,” said Jessica Groves, community impact manager at TGC. “We are extremely disappointed that this happened and are continuing to cooperate with Middlesex Township Police Department.”
Hopefully the thieves will realize the negative impact that their sticky-finger based action will have on the community-at-large and will return the hives and bees unharmed. In the meantime, TGC has put out an alert asking other Pennsylvania-based beekeepers to keep a close eye on their own hives and colonies.
Until next month…
Karen can be contacted via email at: [email protected]
