Food Trade News

* This is a living document that will be updated on a regular basis until it is no longer needed. For the most up-to-date information, please visit the Murphy’s Fresh Markets COVID-19 update page.

March 19

1) Starting Saturday, March 21st from 7 am to 8 am we will be dedicating this hour (daily) to our senior (ages 60+) and those with compromised immune systems customers.

2) Starting immediately, to allow everyone an opportunity to purchase what they need we will be limiting items to 2 per customer. (ie. 2 containers of milk, 2 pkgs of pasta, etc.)

Thank you for your overwhelming support you have shown us, it is greatly appreciated.

Message from the president of Murphy’s Fresh Markets, Ron S. Murphy:

At Murphy’s Fresh Markets, we are a family owned business that continually focuses on our communities, and more importantly our customers.  Murphy’s would like to let you know that we are thinking about all of you—our people, our customers, our suppliers, and our communities—as we work through the effects of the coronavirus. We understand and value the role that our business plays in the communities we serve and will do everything we can to continue our operations with minimal to no interruption in service.  We recognize the heightened concern and are doing everything we can to protect our customers and employees.

In these times of uncertainty, we need to make sure we are taking the necessary steps to make sure we are acting with empathy and understanding toward one another.  By following the advice of the local and federal medical communities and doing what we believe is in the best interest of everyone, we will get through this together.

Thank you,

Ron S. Murphy
President of Murphy’s Fresh Markets

March 17

Due to the current state of emergency and to safeguard our associates and customers, we are unable to accept product returns at this time. The purpose of this restriction is to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus by preventing the return of potentially contaminated products into the supply chain. Murphy’s Fresh Markets associates have been working extremely hard to help our customers.

1st, we would like to sincerely thank you for all of your patience. We have witnessed a great community coming together during this crisis. 2nd effective immediately our store hours will be from 7 am to 7 pm to allow us to clean and sanitize our store each day and to give our associates time to get home safe.

* This is a living document that will be updated on a regular basis until it is no longer needed. For the most up-to-date information, please visit the National Supermarket Association website.

March 24

During this we are working hard to provide you the resources that you need. We are also working hard with our members that have created designated hours for senior citizens to highlight and to help you during this time. If you are one of these stores, please click the link below to add your store to our data map. This map is being passed to elected officials, the New York City Emergency Management team, and others.

Thank you for support!

-NSA Staff

William Rodriguez, President of the National Supermarket Association and Elizabeth Peralta, Executive Director of the National Supermarket Association), which represents the interests of more than 400 independent supermarket owners in New York and other urban cities throughout the East Coast, released the following statement today following the COVID-19 epidemic in New York:

“In times like these of crisis, local independent supermarkets serve as the lifeline of their communities, providing customers and local residents with a place they can continue to get the things they need to survive. We are especially mindful of our most vulnerable customers: seniors and those with underlying health conditions. To that end, we continue to make every effort to ensure that our seniors have access to groceries and other items they need. We accomplish this through free delivery programs and providing no-cost transportation for seniors to get to and from the supermarket with ease. We continue to hold “senior days” promotions when senior citizens can take advantage of special discounts on many of the popular items we carry, and we are considering other measures to further accommodate our seniors.

As we work through this crisis, we are committed to ensuring that our seniors and other vulnerable populations are the highest priority. I’ll also add that at no greater time than this do we need to increase the availability and eligibility for SNAP and WIC programs so that individuals can continue to get access to food during what will be difficult economic times.

While the media has portrayed numerous amounts of photos and videos of supermarkets and other stores with empty shelves and customers fighting over items, we want to take a moment to ensure our customers that we are in constant contact with our supply chain partners including distributors and wholesale suppliers to make sure we can continue to restock our stores as quickly and efficiently as possible. Our network of independent owner-operators are uniquely positioned to handle this unprecedented and ever-evolving situation, and we are committed to utilizing every option available to make sure we keep up with the high demand while keeping costs low.

I would also like to address the inaccurate and blatantly false allegations made of widespread “price gouging” occurring in supermarkets throughout New York City. To be clear, we are not in the business of taking advantage of the customers we consider friends and family. As I said before, we are the lifeline of many communities and have built a level of trust within these neighborhoods. We ask that elected officials and the media take the time to investigate these allegations before publishing damming remarks that in some cases cause irreparable harm to our members.

I’d like to close by focusing on the hardworking men and women who work in our stores everyday who do not have the option of telecommuting during this crisis and must put their health at risk to come in every day and man the stores. They are some of the unsung heroes of this crisis and it goes without saying that we are indebted to them.

Thank you to our customers who continue to support us. We urge all New Yorkers to shop local. I wish everyone and their families the best during this pandemic.”

* This is a living document that will be updated on a regular basis until it is no longer needed.

March 21

For your increased safety and protection, Seabra Foods will immediately implement another health screening measure.

Before beginning their work shift, all employees will have their temperature measured using a non-contact thermometer. Thank you for your patience.

NEW STORE HOURS

6AM TILL 8PM
(Normally 6am till 9pm)

Special hour for Elderly stays the same.
6am till 7am

For your Safety, we will be using this additional hour at closing time for even greater cleaning and sanitizing of food contact surfaces as well as cleaning restrooms and public areas with a special focus on checkout stations.

We ask for your understanding and are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause. Thank You.

March 19

Seabra Foods Supermarkets have adjusted store hours from 6am to 7am to prioritize service for our customers who are senior citizens, disabled and expectant mothers. Thank you for your loyalty and patience.

March 18

Dear customers

As retailers find themselves overwhelmed to meet community demand due to the extraordinary circumstances, Seabra Foods is committed to serving our customers and community with important staples. We are sourcing many items through many new suppliers and have no control over pricing.

We ask for your understanding as some items are priced to reflect new costs that are being passed on to us.

Thank you for your understanding.

* This is a living document that will be updated on a regular basis until it is no longer needed. For the most up-to-date information, please visit the Sprouts Farmers Market  COVID-19 update page.

Dear Valued Sprouts Customer,

As we navigate through uncharted waters together, we’re doing everything we can to provide the products you and your family need. We are committed to being there for our team members, customers, and communities when they need us most. Our supply chain and store teams are working extremely hard to keep our stores clean, open, and stocked, and we continue to work with our partners at Instacart to provide delivery service to provide you with alternatives to visiting the store. Our supply chain is strong but demand is high and it may take several hours or even a day to get the items back on the shelves. Please bear with us if the items you want are not readily available. We are closely monitoring the quickly evolving situation and have not yet reduced store hours or other significant changes to our operations.

Your health and safety are our priority. We continue our increased cleaning and sanitation procedures for high touch areas such as carts and baskets, shelves, service counters, restrooms, and checkout lanes. Our team members have the latest safety information and continue to follow CDC guidelines to protect themselves, their colleagues, and our customers. They’ve been asked to stay home if they have any symptoms or do not feel well, and we’re supporting our team and their families financially should they need to take time off or are otherwise affected.

Thank you for shopping with us; Sprouts will be with you through these uncertain times.

Jack Sinclair
CEO, Sprouts Farmers Market

This is a living document that will be updated on a regular basis until it is no longer needed.

March 19

REFUND, RETURN AND RAINCHECK POLICIES

For the safety of our customers and teammates during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, we have temporarily suspended our refund, return and raincheck policies. All sales are final.

TIME-SLOT AVAILABILITY

Pickup and delivery windows are currently in high demand and may be limited. Thank you for your patience!

ITEM AVAILABILITY

We are temporarily out of stock on certain items. Certain products may be limited to 2 per transaction.

• Paper Towels – Limit 2
• Bath Tissue – Limit 2
• Water – Limit 2
• Hand Sanitizer – Limit 4
• Household Disinfecting Wipes – Limit 2
• Isoproyl Alcohol – Limit 2
• Hand Soaps -Limit 4
• All Ground Beef & Ground Turkey – Limit 2 packages
• All Chicken Breast, Drumsticks, and Thighs – Limit 2 packages
• All Whole Chicken – Limit 2 packages
• All Boneless or Bone-in Pork Chops – Limit 2 packages
• Pasta – Limit 4 packages
• Pasta Sauce – Limit 4 Cans/Jars
• Frozen Vegetables – Limit 4 Bags/Boxes

March 18

As of 3/18/2020, all stores will close at 10:00 PM and reopen at 7:00 AM until further notice. ALL stores will pre-open exclusively to seniors from 6:00 AM – 7:00 AM each and every day, beginning on Thursday, March 19. 

March 12

Message from Scott Grimmett, president and CEO, Price Chopper/Market 32

If you have been to our stores, you know that they are busy, and folks are stocking up on items they feel they will need to manage during this unprecedented time. Given that it is still cold and flu season, it may be wise to include some of the list below on your shopping list. Those with chronic issues like diabetes or high blood pressure should follow health care provider recommendations and check with your pharmacist for personal information.

You may need:

• Clear liquids
• Broths/clear soups
• Clear soda, such as ginger ale
• Ice pops/lollypops
• Clear juices, such as apple juice
• Dry cereal, such as PICS Toasted O’s and Cheerios
• Saltines/Oyster Crackers
• Tea – tea bags and prepared bottled tea

To assist with managing mild symptoms after diagnosis and limit shopping/promote social distancing if someone in your home becomes ill:

• Acetaminophen/Tylenol
• Ibuprofen
• Cold medicine*
• Pedialyte/Gatorade
• Hand soap
• Cough medicine* or cough drops
• *Check with your pharmacist or health care provider if on medication for high blood pressure, or you have concerns regarding interactions.

Follow all health guidance from local authorities and your health care provider. Follow good hand washing and food safety guidelines as we all work together to keep well. We are doing our best to maintain supplies of products in stores, but shoppers could encounter temporary out of stock issues. Please be patient, and we will continue to do our best to meet shopper needs. We will all get through this together!

* This is a living document that will be updated on a regular basis until it is no longer needed. For the most up-to-date information, please visit the Price Rite newsroom page.

We continue to closely monitor the ongoing developments of COVID-19 and its impact on our communities. Your safety and well-being, and that of our Associates, is our highest priority. We’ve added this page to our site to keep you advised of what we’re doing at Price Rite Marketplace to ensure your safety and help you shop with confidence so that you can focus on taking care of yourself and your loved ones during this difficult time.

Safety:

When it comes to your safety, Price Rite Marketplace has cultivated an environment of exceptional food safety standards that meet local and state requirements and industry best practices. We remain vigilant about regular cleaning and sanitizing of food contact surfaces and we follow a routine of frequent, thorough cleaning of restrooms and public areas with a special focus on checkout stations and conveyor belts, credit card keypads and other surfaces regularly handled by customers. Our Associates are trained to follow proper hand washing practices and we advise associates who feel ill to remain home. With your safety in mind, we have suspended in-store events and product sampling programs. We continue to monitor and follow the recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control, state and local health departments and our food industry trade associations.

Product Availability:

We remain committed to serving you, but current events have impacted our ability to keep in stock on key items and deliver our usual high level of service. Like all retailers, we are in short supply of many items that are in high demand right now. As a result, items such as disinfectant cleaners and wipes, bar and liquid soaps, water, cough/cold over the counter medicines and other key categories are now limited to a purchase of two. We’re working with our suppliers to keep these items on the shelf for you and we appreciate your cooperation in limiting your purchases so that everyone can get the products they need.  Due to high demand, quantities of select products will be limited.

All of us at Price Rite Marketplace deeply appreciate your patience and understanding during this time. Current events continue to evolve rapidly so please check back with us often for updates. We are here and ready to help where we can.  Thank you again for being our customer and for welcoming the Price Rite Marketplace brand into your home.  Be assured we will continue to work hard to maintain your trust and confidence.

Wishing you and yours continued good health –

Your friends at Price Rite Marketplace

* This is a living document that will be updated on a regular basis until it is no longer needed. For the most up-to-date information, please visit the Publix News Releases page.

March 20

Publix is committed to remaining open and serving our communities during this challenging time. We encourage our customers to purchase only what they need—and not to stockpile.

At this time, we are suspending refunds on products purchased during this declared emergency. We will of course continue to honor our Publix Guarantee for any products that do not meet our quality standards.

March 19

Publix stores and Publix Pharmacies will open early two mornings a week to allow seniors to shop ahead of the crowds. We invite customers age 65+ to shop 7 a.m. – 8 a.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

March 17

We have adjusted the hours of all Publix locations. Thank you for your understanding as we provide our store teams additional time to conduct preventive sanitation and to restock our shelves.

Store hours
8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Pharmacy hours
Monday – Saturday: 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Sunday: normal hours

Note: Hours of pharmacies at hospitals will vary by location.

Message from Publix CEO Todd Jones

To our customers and associates:

Whenever our communities need us, Publix always strives to be a source of help. Publix has remained in close contact with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other federal and state agencies since January to monitor developments and updated guidance on coronavirus (COVID-19). I’m writing to share with you the actions Publix is taking across our entire operation to safeguard the health and well-being of our customers, our associates, and our communities.

Sanitation. Our routine cleaning and sanitation standards already meet CDC guidelines. Additionally, we’ve put in place a heightened disinfection response program. We’ve also suspended food demonstrations in our stores until further notice.

Product availability. We are working tirelessly to have the items you need on our shelves. We have applied purchase limits on some key items to allow more customers to get what they need.

Alternative shopping options. Customers who need to, or prefer to, avoid public places may take advantage of delivery or curbside pickup of groceries and other items. Visit publix.com for details.

We encourage you to visit the CDC’s website for up-to-date information on how to keep your family and yourself safe. Meanwhile, Publix will continue to focus on keeping our associates healthy—and our stores open and stocked—to serve and support all our communities.

Todd Jones
CEO, Publix Super Markets