Leadership Through Community

Posted on April 4, 2024April 4, 2024 by Lynn Melillo

Heading 2

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit. Nostrum minus ea suscipit porro alias corporis libero at. Perferendis omnis, veniam nemo beatae vel? Tempora numquam a repellat eaque natus, magnam?

Heading 2

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit. Autem ipsum mollitia neque, illum illo excepturi, eum incidunt fugit nostrum est, voluptate eaque minima corporis debitis at, dolores ipsam. Quaerat, dolores.

Heading 2

It has been a very busy few months since I became chair of the California Grocers Association.

Let me start by saying how proud I am to serve this Association in a leadership role. I do not take this position lightly and vow to do my best in representing retailers and suppliers in this industry that we all love.

In my first official duty as Chair last December, I testified in front of the Little Hoover Commission to share the grocery perspective on retail theft on behalf of CGA and its members. Tasked by the Legislature to conduct research and report back with a policy recommendation on retail theft, this was the second in a series of retail theft hearings to help the commission complete its report. This was quite the experience, and I encourage you to watch the segment online if you haven’t already.

Chair of the Commission Pedro Nava stated in one of the hearings that the witness testifying should consider it a compliment if you are interrupted with questions from commissioners. My testimony, which was slated to take 10 minutes tops, ran almost a full hour. Their interest was an indication of the greater momentum around finding a solution to retail theft in the Legislature and Capitol. While I was happy with the level of engagement from commissioners, I was also surprised by the tone of the questions and their expectations. We learned that they are data-starved, and we as an industry need to do a better job in reporting all incidents to law enforcement and tracking the number of incidents occurring in our locations along with the dollar value of each incident.

To help tackle this need, CGA has created a Retail Theft Committee to gather data from members that we can share with the Legislature to demonstrate the severe impacts of retail theft. We’re hopeful that our efforts will lead to some change in legislation to positively help our industry. I look forward to working closely on this issue with CGA and members throughout the year.

In January, I took a break to attend the Independent Operators Symposium on the Big Island in Hawaii. This was such a special time to spend with members of the Association who represent independent stores and family businesses. It was a beautiful setting for the perfect dose of education mixed in with a whole lot of fun.

We had the pleasure of welcoming a warm friend and colleague to the industry for a special session, Leslie Sarasin from FMI. In her session, Leslie discussed state politics and the issues she and her team are battling in Washington on behalf of the industry.

We also heard from Steve Black on the “5 Rules” for Transforming your Culture for Yourself, Your Team, and Your Family. This was my favorite educational session as it provided me with confirmation that you can and should be a kind and compassionate leader while still expecting successful results from your teams. Be sure to read Steve’s leadership piece later in this issue.

Steve brought wristbands for everyone to take back to their teams with the 5 Rules printed on them and I was excited to share them and what I learned during our weekly team meeting.

The wristband is a quick reminder for us to follow the rules:

Do Your Job,
Be Kind,
No Surprises,
No Drama, and Protect The Brand.

As we celebrate industry leadership in this issue and consider what it means to be a leader in grocery, this is sage advice that we can all benefit from.

Embracing the Marathon

Posted on May 10, 2021August 25, 2021 by Lynn Melillo

Heading 2

Grit is the essential factor in finding success during the pandemic and into the future.

Some of my fellow columnists in this issue have astutely pointed out that 2021 has, so far, felt similar to 2020. COVID-19 continues to dominate our thinking and have an everyday impact on our lives.

To that end the pandemic seems to be comprised of its own unique time outside the normal turn of a clock or calendar page. For this reason, operating throughout the pandemic has truly been a marathon, not a sprint.

What’s the key to successfully navigating this historic time and maintaining success into the future? Grit.

From in-store social distancing to managing exhausted teams, passion and perseverance especially are essential. These two characteristics must flow throughout the company, back office to the store floor. Every challenge from COVID-19 provides an opportunity to keep moving towards your desired outcome.

Our grocery stores have become the hub of our communities. Grocery workers have not only been providing an essential service but they have been the ones who have shown compassion and support to our customers and one another. They have shown the five characteristics of grit:

Courage to come to work and take care of communities
Conscientiousness, being careful and vigilant to keep our stores safe
Perseverance, they show up to work in times of crisis
Resilience, they power through any challenges and help keep communities going

This takes the entire team from warehouses, truck drivers, our staff in our offices and especially our front-line workers who are there to serve customers every day and show up to work. They have become the pipeline for food and necessities.

Another aspect of grit is flexibility. The doggedness grit requires might seem like the antithesis of flexibility, however, adopting grit requires a growth mindset. COVID-19 is a generation-defining obstacle, and so the roadmaps from the past will not do. Lessons must be learned, and we are all inventing the path as we go. Implementing programs that may have taken a year or longer basically happened overnight to serve our customers.

Finally, there is something most people miss when thinking about grit, and that is how it relates to the future.

Psychologist Angela Lee Duckworth, who has spent her career studying and measuring grit, explains grit is defined by “passion and perseverance for very long term goals, having stamina, sticking with your future, and living life like a marathon, not a sprint.”

Maintaining drive towards an unarticulated or even vague goal simply isn’t possible. Doing so would defy human nature. If we are purpose-oriented people, then we must have a definite view of the future. And we must hold these ideas tightly while remaining flexible.

Oprah Winfrey famously said, “Challenges are gifts that force us to search for a new center of gravity. Don’t fight them. Just find a new way to stand.” This is a quote that strikes at the heart of the matter.

When I think about the future, I start to think more about how the pandemic has accelerated the once distant changes many have long predicted. The e-commerce adoption curve has rapidly sped forward across every demographic. Shoppers are looking for retailers to inspire their at-home culinary explorations.

Our industry has navigated change quicker than we ever thought possible. As these trends accelerate, making the future come to fruition sooner than expected, those with grit will be the winners during and after the pandemic.

The Next Big Things in Food

Posted on October 23, 2020January 4, 2021 by Lynn Melillo

Heading 2

As grocery enthusiasts, one of our favorite times of year is when Whole Foods Market releases its 10 Food Trends prediction list.

From wellness continuing to be a big thing to upcycled foods, this list has plenty of new trends to inspire your next shopping trip. And if you ask us, the return of breakfast and adding coffee to everything is long overdue.

Read the full set of predictions on the Whole Foods Market website .

Grocers Join Newsom’s ‘Wear a Mask’ Campaign

Posted on August 3, 2020August 5, 2020 by Lynn Melillo

Heading 2

Industry urges Californians to adopt masks in public

As the state continues to take action to prevent the spread of COVID-19, California’s grocery community has partnered with Gov. Gavin Newsom to ask shoppers to wear masks in stores.

Through the Governor’s “Wear a Mask” campaign, grocery stores are prominently displaying in-store creative reinforcing ways for customers to shop safe. For more information, or to join this partnership, contact Nate Rose.

(In-store signage as seen in a 99 Ranch Market)

Op-Ed: CGA Exec Speaks Out on Recycling

Posted on May 22, 2020May 22, 2020 by Lynn Melillo

Heading 2

Reprinted from Cal Matters
May 22, 2020

Making Grocery Stores a Recycling Center Seems Unthinkable in This Time of COVID-19

by Ron Fong, CGA President & CEO

The coronavirus crisis is teaching us much about our social infrastructure that we either didn’t know or took for granted.

We are learning, for instance, that our health care system is exactly that – a system that we all rely on, and one that can be overwhelmed by sudden stress.

We are learning that our front-line health care providers – nurses, physicians, first-responders, all manner of hospital and clinic workers – are heroes of the first order who put their well-being at risk to care for the sick and vulnerable.

And we are learning that our food-distribution system, of fundamental importance during a crisis, is strong and resilient. Farmers, food processing facilities, food distributors and grocers have stepped up to meet the demands of a worried public facing the uncertainty of sheltering in place.

To be sure, there have been instances of long lines and temporary shortages of certain items, but our food-distribution system is keeping up with demand. Deliveries of goods have been keeping pace, and grocers have been working overtime and hiring new workers to restock shelves.

Many of us are learning something that went mostly unnoticed before: that groceries are as important to our social infrastructure as roads, hospitals and fire stations. We need them to function smoothly to prevent social disruption.

It’s a lesson we need to keep in mind after this crisis passes.

With vigilance and broad public compliance with the safety measures public health experts have put forth, we can hope that the worst of the potential consequences will be averted. There is a long, uncertain road ahead, but this crisis will pass.

When that moment comes, policymakers in California can again turn their attention to issues that are important but far less urgent than a global pandemic.

Among them will be the abysmal state of recycling in California that is leading to a resurgence of plastics being discarded into the environment or buried in landfills. It has been accompanied by a decline in redemption rates of beverage containers, despite the 5- or 10-cent California Redemption Value that consumers pay for each beverage container they purchase.

The market for plastic waste plummeted in 2017 after China stopped accepting most shipments. Not only has that made it difficult or impossible to recycle such items as yogurt containers and packaging shells, but it has also dried up revenue for neighborhood recycling centers.

About half of those centers have closed in recent years, and the result has been predictable: recycling rates have fallen. For all containers, the state’s most recent report shows a redemption rate of 76% and trending downward.

A number of ideas have been put forth in the Legislature to reduce plastic waste, including a phasing out of single-use plastic containers, requiring greater use of compostable materials and mandating higher amounts of recycled content in new containers in order to promote a more robust market for plastic waste.

All those ideas are ones that should be explored and refined.

But one idea that made little sense before seems absolutely unthinkable now – to complicate the mission of grocery stores by requiring them to also serve as recycling centers.

Grocers are in the business of providing food to people. Over the years, of course, that mission has also expanded to include providing necessary household supplies such as cleaning materials and, yes, toilet paper so that they are conveniently available.

Groceries don’t have the people or the space to handle the extra duty of processing containers for recycling, and the last thing anyone should be promoting is the notion of asking consumers to bring used, unsanitary materials into the very places they rely upon to provide a safe, secure food supply.

When we get past this extraordinary public health crisis, taking action to boost recycling in California will remain an important priority. Grocers will do their part in trying to help fashion solutions. But their primary role is now and should always remain to be dependable, resilient suppliers of food and household goods.

Californians depend on it.

Industry Mourns Passing of Lou Amen

Posted on May 7, 2020May 7, 2020 by Lynn Melillo

Heading 2

It is with great sorrow that we inform you of the passing of Louis A. Amen the founder of Super A Foods, Inc. Lou was known and loved by many and was a legend in the grocery industry. He served as CGA Chair in 1986 and was a strong supporter of both the Association and its Educational Foundation.

He passed away on Tuesday, May 5, 2020, at his home in Corona del Mar. He is survived by his wife Dorie, 7 children, 24 grandchildren, 25 great grandchildren and 1 great-great grandchild.

Due to the Covid 19 regulations Lou’s memorial service will be limited to 10 close family members. The Amen family regrets to announce that the memorial service will be private.

In lieu of flowers the family suggests making memorial contributions to the California Grocers Association Educational Foundation. Reference: Lou Amen.

Thank you for the outpouring of love during this difficult time.

You can send or drop off contributions to:
Super A Foods, Inc.
c/o Renee Amen
7200 Dominion Circle
Commerce, CA 90040

California Grocers Association Educational Foundation
c/o Lou Amen – Super A Foods
1005 12th Street, Suite 200
Sacramento, CA 95814
To donate: click here, or contact Brianne Page, CGAEF, at (916) 448-3545.

An Open Letter to Our Nation’s Retailers and Food Distributors

Posted on April 20, 2020 by Lynn Melillo

Heading 2

Thank you! As much of our daily lives has changed in significant ways, you continue to serve in providing an essential function for all of us. What we once took for granted as normal routine, going to the grocery store, has fundamentally changed. You – retailers, your stores, and all team members throughout the food distribution system – are our heroes and we thank you!

Our California farmers, ranchers and farmworkers understand the challenge this crisis has delivered to our retailer partners: to manage adequate supply, maintain efficient distribution, and most of all provide a safe shopping environment for customers and employees. All of this has been accomplished with a level of care, service and dedication that makes us proud to be part of your supply chain.

We are thankful for the warehouse workers pulling double shifts, the truck drivers who are adding routes, the direct-to-customer services that are being offered, and the new outlets being created to provide food. We are grateful for retail employees in-store, delivery drivers, and those working at headquarters who have helped us adapt to a new way of life by providing a sense of order in these uncertain times.

California producers are here for you. Each harvest provides a brighter future, and together we will do what we’ve always done to provide healthy nutritious food ( and beautiful flowers) for your customers, our neighbors and communities across this state and nation.

We commend you for your ongoing efforts. Your work and service has been nothing less than world class.

With gratitude,

Karen Ross, Secretary
California Department of Food and Agriculture

Former CGA Chair Bob Parriott Passes Away

Posted on February 7, 2020February 7, 2020 by Lynn Melillo

Heading 2

From CGA President and CEO Ron Fong:

It is with sincere regret and deep sadness that I inform you of the passing of former CGA Chair and long-time independent grocer Bob Parriott, Twain Harte Market, who tragically died in a small aircraft accident February 5, 2020, near the Columbia, Calif. airport.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to his wife Linda, their children and grandchildren.

Details of the accident are limited, but it appears Bob and the pilot were the plane’s only occupants and both died in the crash. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating the crash.

Bob was instrumental in the merger of the California Independent Grocers Association with CGA in 2014 and served on the CGA Board of Directors Executive Committee – culminating with his year as Chair in 2018.

Bob was a true champion for the independent grocer which was reflected in his life and his work. He was a tremendous supporter of the Association and will be remembered for his leadership during the merger and his time on the Board.

Funeral arrangements are pending.

California Grocers Association Invests in Downtown Sacramento Revitilization

Posted on April 12, 2019October 18, 2019 by Lynn Melillo

Heading 2

SACRAMENTO, CA (4/9/2019) – After extensive renovations, the California Grocers Association officially opened its new, member-owned offices located at 1005 12^th Street – in the heart of Sacramento’s burgeoning downtown district – during a gala celebration on Tuesday, April 9.

The Association purchased the 20,544 square three-level historic building in 2015 for $3 million with the vision of creating a new, permanent home for one of California’s most well-established state trade associations, and began renovating in 2018.

“CGA was founded in 1898 and has represented the interests of shopkeepers and grocery business-owners for more than 120 years,” Fong says. “Now our association has a permanent home located just steps from the California State Capitol.”

CGA’s offices occupy the second floor, with additional tenant space, meeting rooms and storage in the lower level. The ground floor features retail outlets. Improvements included seismic and other structural upgrades and installation of an elevator.

“On behalf of the CGA Board of Directors, we are so proud that this day has come and that we have invested our ‘corner of the world’ in resurging downtown Sacramento,” said CGA Chair Kendra Doyel, Ralphs Grocery Co., during the gala Grand Opening. “I’d like to personally thank the Board for its vision and determination in making this happen.”

The original one-story building was built in 1925 and appropriately located in the same block as the historic Sacramento Public Market Building, which opened in 1923. (now the Sheraton Grand).

“It is California to its core — new and old, traditional and nonconformist – all at the same time,” says CGA President and CEO Ron Fong, referring to the architect’s goal to return the building’s Spanish colonial revival exterior and lobby to its original look, and its clean office spaces featuring restored wood beams and exposed original brick. “The space feels fitting as the physical embodiment of a grocery industry that has deep roots, yet also encompasses a market being rapidly transformed by new technologies.”

For practical purposes, the new building represents more than nice aesthetics. It features room for focused and private work, as well as plenty of space for collaboration and team work. And, there are material benefits as well.

Owning a building in the city’s revitalized urban center presents an opportunity to mitigate the risk of ever-increasing rent costs and to reap the proceeds of continued growth down in the future, Fong says.

“Ownership is a sound investment for the Association,” he adds. “It represents the steadfast position of the industry and a base from which CGA can better serve California’s community of grocers.”

The near year-long renovation project was under the direction of Wells Construction, Inc., Roseville, Calif. The project’s architect/designer firm was Williams and Paddon, Roseville, Calif.

CGA’s new office is located at 1005 12^th Street, Suite 200, Sacramento, Calif. 95814. The telephone (916-448-3545) and fax (916-448-2793) numbers remain the same. See photos from the grand opening.

CGA Launches New Website

Posted on March 4, 2019March 11, 2019 by Lynn Melillo