Wegman's, the privately held, Rochester, New York-based supermarket chain has always been the envy of most food retailers. A highly successful operation, the Wegman family has been approached countless times to sell out to larger chains. They have steadfastly refused, preferring to operate their 70 store chain, mostly in New York, but in additional locations in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia and Maryland.


In 2006, almost 5000 letters from consumers begged them to open additional outlets in their communities. "An additional 4100 wrote to say how much they liked the Wegman's shopping experience", this according to a recent article in the Cincinnati Enquirer on May 7th.
What is it about Wegman's that makes this grocery chain so exceptional, so attractive to consumers? Great food assortments? Yes, of course.
A wonderful blend of gourmet, natural, organic, mainstream and international foods? Yes.
But there's more to the Wegman's recipe than that. A very important ingredient that so many retailers, food or non-food, are sorely lacking. Wegman's has always made, and continues to make, a solid investment in company personnel. The company commits to training its people well, and feels that in-depth knowledge of products and cooking pays off handsomely for its customers.
Furthermore, Wegman's listens to its employees and solicits ideas from them. Its over 35,000 employees are considered by management to be important assets, and it shows. Thus far in 2007, Food Network, BusinessWeek and Fortune magazine have all cited Wegman's in three key areas:
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Changing the way consumers shop for food
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Providing the best customer service
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Being one of the best places to work
The company is willing to try new ideas, willing to experiment and innovate, willing to offer new products and services. Company president Colleen Wegman: "We listen to our people. We get ideas from all over the company. We try out the ideas. If they don't work, we change course." How refreshing is this? How uncomplicated and how open is this open door policy?
As is the case with most food retailers, Wegman's counts heavily on attracting a pool of young workers. Since 1984, the company has awarded $63 million dollars to more than 20,000 employees, with both full-time and part-time status, under the auspices of its scholarship program. In the article, Eugene Fram, a Rochester Institute of Technology Marketing Professor noted: "The scholarship, though modest in amount, is a nice bonus for mid-and low-income students. Over the years, that's a substantial investment in people."
It looks as though that kind of investment pays off. Handsomely. Kudos to Wegman's and their enlightened attitude about valuing their human capital so that their work force, in turn, delivers the brand to the stores' customers with conviction, pride and tremendous service. The result: great success in one of the toughest, most competitive areas in the retail arena.
Question: Have you ever experienced the Wegman's brand, or another retail brand that you felt was exceptional? What part did the employees play in making your experience such a good one? We'd love to hear from you. . .