Green is Hy-Vee's Favorite Color
Hy-Vee, the Midwestern supermarket chain, nourishes its communities in many ways.
Known for excellence in the quality of their foods throughout a seven-state region, they live their mission of helping make people's lives easier, healthier, and happier.
But Hy-Vee is taking a commitment to "green" beyond the broccoli in their produce aisle.
The chain has already instituted a sustainability policy in their stores, intent upon reducing their environmental footprint. They are focusing on energy and resource conservation; waste reduction and recycling; store building and design; and product sourcing and packaging.
But now they're getting their hands dirty. Literally and figuratively planting roots in fertile soil, Hy-Vee is giving communities 200,000 Gift Trees from the Arbor Day Foundation, ready to place in the ground.
Jon Wendel, the chain's vice president of marketing, firmly believes, "Everyone has a role in protecting the environment." That's why Hy-Vee is empowering cities and towns across the Midwest.
Community groups and more than 500 schools throughout Hy-Vee's service region received Colorado Blue Spruce and Norway Spruce seedlings, selected for their hardiness in the Midwest, throughout September 2008.
Arbor Day Foundation chief executive Matt Harris applauds Hy-Vee's action. "These trees will impact communities for years. Those who have recently been hit by storms and floods will feel Hy-Vee's commitment for generations to come as they watch these trees mature."