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H-E-B

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H-E-B Grocery Company, LP
H-E-B
FormerlyC.C. Butt Grocery Store (1905–1927)
Company typePrivate
IndustryGrocery retail
FoundedNovember 26, 1905 (118 years ago) (1905-11-26) as C.C. Butt Grocery Store in Kerrville, Texas, United States
FounderFlorence Butt
HeadquartersSan Antonio, Texas, U.S.
Number of locations
Over 420 (U.S. and Mexico)
Area served
Key people
ProductsBakery, dairy, deli, frozen foods, gasoline, general grocery, meat, pharmacy, produce, seafood, snacks, toys
ServicesAuto, health, fuel, ticket sales, utilities, and licenses
RevenueIncrease $43.6 billion+ (2022)
Owners
Number of employees
145,000 (2022)
Subsidiaries
Websiteheb.com
Footnotes / references
[3]

H-E-B Grocery Company, LP, is an American privately held supermarket chain based in San Antonio, Texas, with more than 380 stores throughout Texas and Mexico.[4][5] The company also operates Central Market, an upscale organic and fine foods retailer.[6] As of 2022, the company had a total revenue of US$38.9 billion.[7] H-E-B ranked number 6 on Forbes' 2022 list of "America's Largest Private Companies".[8] The company also ranked number 3 on Forbes' 2024 list of "Customer Experience All-Stars."[9] H-E-B was named Retailer of the Year in 2010 by Progressive Grocer.[10] Supermarket News ranks H-E-B 13th on the list of "Top 75 North American Food Retailers" by sales.[11] Based on 2019 revenues, H-E-B is the 19th-largest retailer in the United States.[12] It donates 5% of pretax profits to charity.[13] The official mascot of H-E-B is named H-E-Buddy, an anthropomorphic brown grocery bag, with multiple grocery items emerging from the top.[14]

History

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The company was founded on November 26, 1905, when Florence Butt opened the C.C. Butt Grocery Store on the ground floor of her family home in Kerrville, Texas.[15] In 1919, Howard Edward Butt, Florence's youngest son, took over the store upon his return from World War I. Shortly after becoming owner of his mother's small store, Howard tried four expansions into Central Texas, including one in Junction, all of which failed. Finally, in 1927, Howard launched a successful second store in Del Rio, Texas, followed by the purchase of three grocery stores in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. The initials of Howard E. Butt became the name of the store.[16]

Charles, the younger son of Howard E. Butt, became president of H-E-B in 1971. As of 2019, Charles Butt is chairman and CEO of H-E-B, having grown the business from annual sales of $250 million in 1971 to $13 billion in 2006. In 2010, Craig Boyan was named H-E-B's president and COO.[17] By 2018, Martin Otto, the former CFO and chief merchant, had become the COO.[18] In 2011, the company was #12 on Forbes's list of "America's Largest Private Companies".[19] H-E-B is the largest privately held company and largest private employer in Texas.[20]

H-E-B acquired Favor Delivery as a wholly-owned subsidiary in February 2018. The details of the merger were not disclosed.[21]

In 2019, H-E-B invested millions of dollars to replace cashier stations with self-checkout kiosks or smartphone apps at the same time that many other supermarkets (such as Walmart and Target) were shifting toward more self-checkout lanes and app usage.[22]

Operations

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Houston's Buffalo Market H-E-B (#51)

Headquartered in downtown San Antonio, H-E-B operates more than 300 stores in over 150 communities across Texas.[23][24] As of late 2010, its operations serve approximately "55-plus" percent of the Texas market,[25][26] with primary Texas markets including the Corpus Christi, San Antonio, Austin, Laredo and Houston metro areas. The company does business in five different retail formats: general H-E-B stores, Central Market, H-E-B Plus, Mi Tienda, and Joe V's Smart Shop. In 2010, the company announced plans to build 19 new stores in Texas.[27] H-E-B opened its first store outside of Texas in 1996, a 24,000-square-foot (2,200 m2) H-E-B Pantry store in Lake Charles, Louisiana, though the expansion was short-lived and ultimately failed. The H-E-B Pantry store format was discontinued in 2000,[28] and the company closed its sole Louisiana store in 2003. In 2010, H-E-B offered consumers the opportunity to vote on possible designs for new stores as they expanded into new communities.[29]

The company operates several manufacturing facilities in Texas, including one of the largest milk- and bread-processing plants in the Southwest.[30] H-E-B produces many of their own-brand products, including milk, ice cream, bread, snacks, and ready-cooked meats and meals. These and other private-label products are sold under various brands, including "Central Market Naturals", "Central Market Organics", "H-E-B", "H-E-Buddy", "Hill Country Fare", "H-E-B Creamy Creations" ice cream, "H-E-B Mootopia" milk, and "H-E-B Fully Cooked".

Several stores include multiple-tenant operations through third-party lease arrangements. Many stores include a bank operation, cellular kiosk, and multiple nationally recognized tenants.[31][32][33]

The Austin Business Journal rated H-E-B as the largest private-sector employer in the region in 2017.[34]

In 2019, the company announced plans to build a technology center at its headquarters complex.[35]

Central Market

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Central Market store in central Austin
Main article: Central Market (Texas)

In 1994, H-E-B introduced its Central Market concept in Austin. Based in San Antonio, Central Market offers an organic and international food selection, including a European-style bakery and extensive wine and beer selections. The chain is now composed of 10 stores – three in Dallas, two in Austin, and one each in Fort Worth, Houston, Plano, San Antonio, and Southlake.[36] H-E-B operates four different formats of stores that introduce general merchandise and elements of the "market" concept, though they are unrelated to Central Market's mainline stores: The Woodlands Market in The Woodlands in Montgomery County, Kingwood Market in the Kingwood section of Houston, and the Austin-Escarpment store in South Austin. H-E-B's Alon Market opened in San Antonio on October 17, 2008.[37]

In July 2015, the Market concept was expanded as a new Spring Creek Market was opened in southern Montgomery County in Spring, Texas, on Rayford Road.[38]

H-E-B Plus!

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H-E-B Plus store in Laredo, Texas

In 2004, the company launched three (in Austin, Corpus Christi, and Waco) H-E-B Plus! stores with an expanded focus on nonfood categories, such as entertainment and other general merchandise. The company added three additional locations in 2005 (Corpus Christi, Round Rock, and San Antonio). The stores offered several new departments, including Do-It-Yourself and Texas Backyard, and greatly expanded product categories in baby, card and party, cosmetics, entertainment, housewares, and toys.

Several other locations were later added, including stores in Flour Bluff, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, Burleson, Bastrop, Beaumont, Belton, Boerne, Katy, Killeen, Victoria, Waxahachie, New Braunfels, Kyle,[39] Laredo, Leander,[40] Mission, Rio Grande City, San Juan, San Antonio,[41] Pearland,[42][43][44] Copperas Cove[45] and Hutto.

Mi Tienda

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Mi Tienda in northern Houston

In 2006, H-E-B opened Mi Tienda in South Houston (adjacent to Pasadena) in greater Houston – a 63,000-square-foot (5,900 m2) Latino-themed store.[46][47] Another Mi Tienda opened in north Houston in 2011; it is twice the size of the original location,[48] and has 97,000 square feet (9,000 m2) of space.[49] This second location is off of Little York and Interstate 69/U.S. Route 59. Mi Tienda, which means "my store" in Spanish, sells Mexican baked goods: a tortilleria, where employees make tortillas, and a carniceria providing marinated cuts of chicken, beef, and pork. In addition, Mi Tienda also houses the Cocina restaurant, which serves Mexican food and drinks.[citation needed]

Joe V's Smart Shop

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Joe V's Smart Shop in Harris County, Texas

In 2010, H-E-B opened 'Joe V's Smart Shop', a low-cost grocery chain featuring discounted items. As of June 2024, 10 stores are in Houston and one is in Dallas. A twelfth location is planned to open in Dallas in 2025.[50]

Store size is typically 55,000 square feet, and each location employs about 150 employees, who are eligible to receive the pay and benefits available to employees across H-E-B brand stores.[51]

The brand's name, Joe V's, is based on a company executive, Joe Villareal, who was the driving force behind the brand.[52][53]

Joe V's Smart Shop is part of the H-E-B family of brands, which includes H-E-B and Central Market stores across Texas and Mi Tienda stores in the Houston area. H-E-B also operates Favor Delivery, an on-demand delivery service that serves hundreds of communities throughout the state.

True Texas BBQ

[edit]

True Texas BBQ is a barbecue restaurant chain located inside select H‑E‑B stores.[54]

Mexico

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Main article: H-E-B Mexico
Store in Piedras Negras

H-E-B opened its first Mexican store in 1997 in Monterrey. It has more than 50 locations in Mexico. H-E-B crossed the $1 billion annual sales mark in Mexico in 2012.[55]

Litigation

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In the mid-1980s, local grocery chains Handy Andy and Centeno joined a lawsuit against H-E-B citing unfair pricing practices.[56] H-E-B eventually settled the suit out of court with Centeno in 1998 for $6.5 million and with Handy Andy for an undisclosed settlement amount.[57][58]

H-E-B has paid $12 million to settle a whistleblower lawsuit accusing the San Antonio-based grocery chain of Medicaid fraud. Since at least 2006, according to the suit, H-E-B allegedly submitted to Texas Medicaid inflated prices on thousands of claims for prescriptions it filled so the company could obtain higher reimbursements than allowed.[59]

Charitable activity

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The company gives 5% of annual pretax earnings to causes in the areas in which it operates, including education and food banks.[60] The Excellence in Education Awards is an annual charitable program maintained by H-E-B since 2000, in which teachers, administrators, and schools in Texas are recognized, with awards totaling $500,000 in contributions in 2009.[61]

H-E-B coordinated donations to relief efforts in the wake of a fertilizer plant fire and explosion in West, Texas. The company donated $50,000 to the American Red Cross and launched a checkstand campaign benefiting the organization to get the community involved in the relief effort. The company said in a news release 100% of the donations from the campaign will support the American Red Cross's disaster relief efforts. H-E-B also activated its emergency response units, sending the H-E-B Eddie Garcia Mobile Kitchen and water tanker to West, including donations of meals and water to the victims and first responders.[62]

In the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in 2017, H-E-B donated $100,000 toward relief efforts. Its campaign drive for customer contributions totaled $1,000,000.[63] In addition, H-E-B's Mobile Kitchen and Disaster Relief Units distributed 10,000 hot meals to volunteers and victims in the affected areas in Texas.[63][64]

After the Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde, Texas, on May 24, 2022, in which 19 children and two teachers were killed, H-E-B and the Butt family donated $10 million toward building a new school as founding donors. Initial participants joining the family included Texas architectural firm Huckabee and Texas general contractor Joeris General Contractors.[65]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "H-E-B Names Boyan President, COO". Supermarket News. February 1, 2010. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
  2. ^ "Meet The Four Billionaires Behind H-E-B Supermarkets, Texas' Largest Private Employer". Forbes. Retrieved April 7, 2024.
  3. ^ Moreno, J. Edward (September 10, 2024). "Don". Sherwood Media. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
  4. ^ "Supermarket News Company Profile: HEB Grocery Company". Supermarket News. Archived from the original on November 8, 2009.
  5. ^ "HEB TV Spots Reinforce Commitment to Helping Shoppers Save". Progressive Grocer. Stagnito Media. February 7, 2010. Archived from the original on July 15, 2011. Retrieved April 14, 2010.
  6. ^ "Forbes 400: Charles Butt". Forbes Magazine.
  7. ^ "Forbes list names H-E-B as the 6th-largest private company in the U.S." Texas Public Radio. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  8. ^ "America's Largest Private Companies". Forbes. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
  9. ^ Schwarz, Alan (February 20, 2024). "Forbes Customer Experience All-Stars". Forbes. Retrieved April 7, 2024.
  10. ^ Vaughan, Vicki (October 6, 2010). "H-E-B is Retailer of the Year". San Antonio Express-News.
  11. ^ "TOP 75 RETAILERS & WHOLESALERS". Supermarket News.
  12. ^ "Top 100 Retailers 2020 List". NRF. Retrieved May 26, 2021.
  13. ^ "H-E-B Kicks-off New Year with Renewed Commitment to Customer Savings by Slashing Prices on More Than 5,000 Products" (Press release). Business Wire. January 6, 2010.
  14. ^ "Meet H-E-Buddy". H-E-B. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
  15. ^ "History Timeline for HEB Grocery". H-E-B.
  16. ^ Kleiner, Diana J. "H-E-B". The Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved November 8, 2010.
  17. ^ "Craig Boyan to Lead H-E-B as New President and COO" (Press release). San Antonio: Business Wire. January 23, 2010.
  18. ^ "H-E-B's Martin Otto wins leadership award". APhA. Retrieved May 24, 2018.
  19. ^ DeCarlo, Scott; Murphy, Andrea D. (November 16, 2011). "America's Largest Private Companies". Forbes. Archived from the original on November 18, 2012.
  20. ^ Fechter, Joshua (April 12, 2017). "H-E-B now largest private employer in Texas with 100,000 workers". San Antonio Express-News.
  21. ^ H‑E‑B and Favor Delivery to Join Forces, H-E-B, retrieved March 14, 2018
  22. ^ Copeland, Mike, Mike Copeland: Self checkout at H-E-B; Gas prices up; New medical facility on horizon, Waco Tribune-Herald, retrieved May 2, 2019
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  24. ^ "Find a Store". Retrieved November 14, 2010.
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  27. ^ Hendricks, David; Sunday, effective. "New President Named at HEB". Retrieved November 14, 2010.
  28. ^ Rutledge, Tanya. "H-E-B closing door on pantry concept Archived 21 October 2016 at the Wayback Machine." Houston Business Journal. Friday July 28, 2000. Retrieved on August 25, 2010.
  29. ^ Kaplan, David (October 28, 2010). "H-E-B going extra mile on new Montrose store". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved November 14, 2010.
  30. ^ "The Largest Private Companies". Forbes.com. November 9, 2006. Retrieved November 15, 2006.
  31. ^ H-E-B collaborates on new Hawaiian health drink venture, San Antonio Business Journal, December 21, 2006.
  32. ^ Briefs[permanent dead link‍], MySA.com, December 23, 2006.
  33. ^ Austin's first Maui Wowi store opens in HEB Archived March 10, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, Austin Business Journal, February 12, 2007.
  34. ^ "Dell is no longer Austin's largest employer". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved January 11, 2018.
  35. ^ Iszler, Madison (August 7, 2019). "H-E-B to hire 500 employees, build new San Antonio tech center". San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
  36. ^ "Central Market to Bring Argentina to Texas in Celebration of South American Bicentennial" (Press release). BusinessWire. March 3, 2010. Archived from the original on February 27, 2012. Retrieved March 11, 2010.
  37. ^ Vaughan, Vicki (October 16, 2008). "H-E-B Alon Market set to open". San Antonio Express News. Retrieved November 12, 2010.[permanent dead link‍]
  38. ^ Spring Creek Market H-E-B Archived February 13, 2016, at the Wayback Machine H-E-B. Retrieved August 2, 2015.
  39. ^ "H-E-B to start work on Kyle store". Austin American-Statesman. November 1, 2006. Archived from the original on September 13, 2012. Retrieved November 2, 2006.
  40. ^ Plus to open Friday in Leander Austin American-Statesman, February 22, 2007.
  41. ^ "Doors opening at second H-E-B Plus". MySA.com. November 1, 2006. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved November 2, 2006.
  42. ^ Dawson, Jennifer (July 12, 2006). "Pearland retail center lands H-E-B as anchor". Houston Business Journal. Retrieved October 8, 2006.
  43. ^ "H-E-B Plus is coming to the North Side". MySA.com. July 8, 2006. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved October 8, 2006.
  44. ^ "H-E-B converting North Side store to Plus". MySA.com. March 14, 2007. Archived from the original on March 21, 2007. Retrieved April 1, 2007.
  45. ^ Audrey Spencer, Herald staff writer. "H-E-B Plus opens in Cove". kdhnews.com. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
  46. ^ Monroe, Melissa S. (October 5, 2006). "H-E-B courts Latinos with new Houston store". MySA.com. Archived from the original on March 17, 2007. Retrieved October 8, 2006.
  47. ^ "Vendor E-1.pdf." (Archive) Texas Department of State Health Services. Accessed June 16, 2008.
  48. ^ Kaplan, David (December 5, 2011). "First look at reinvented Mi Tienda". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
  49. ^ Kaplan, David (December 5, 2011). "Second Mi Tienda to be twice as big as first". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
  50. ^ "H-E-B expanding lower-priced Joe V's Smart Shop concept". Chain Store Age. June 6, 2023. Retrieved July 29, 2024.
  51. ^ H-E-B, Newsroom. "H-E-B announces plans to open two Joe V's Smart Shop by H-E-B stores in Dallas". newsroom.heb.com. Retrieved July 29, 2024. {{cite web}}: |first= has generic name (help)
  52. ^ Innovates, Dallas; Murray, Quincy Preston and Lance (June 14, 2024). "Attention 'Smart Shoppers': H‑E‑B Opens Joe V's Smart Shop Grocery in Southern Dallas". Dallas Innovates. Retrieved July 29, 2024.
  53. ^ Wollam, Allison (May 9, 2010). "H-E-B launches new concept despite naming spat with Trader Joe's". Houston Business Journal. Retrieved July 29, 2024.
  54. ^ Vaughn, Daniel (April 29, 2019). "H-E-B Runs the Best BBQ Chain in Texas". Texas Monthly. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
  55. ^ "H-E-B expanding in Texas and crime-ridden Mexico". chron.com. January 19, 2012. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
  56. ^ "A Century of Shopping: H-E-B hits 100". MySanAntonio.com. November 22, 2005. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved June 15, 2007.
  57. ^ "The Paradox of Predatory Pricing". Cornell Law Review. November 1, 2005. p. 16. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  58. ^ "A Century of Shopping: H-E-B hits 100". MySanAntonio.com. November 22, 2005. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved June 15, 2007.
  59. ^ "Grocer pays $12 million in whistleblower case". Archived from the original on August 7, 2016.
  60. ^ Barkhurst, Ariel (December 20, 2009). "Thousands enjoy H-E-B Feast of Sharing". San Antonio Express News. San Antonio: Hearst Newspapers. Retrieved March 12, 2010.[permanent dead link‍]
  61. ^ Moravec, Eva Ruth (March 28, 2009). "H-E-B recognizes 40 Texans vying for education awards". San Antonio Express News. San Antonio: Hearst Newspapers. Archived from the original on March 31, 2009. Retrieved March 12, 2010.
  62. ^ Riemenschneider, Pamela (April 22, 2013). "HEB coordinates donations to West, Texas". The Packer. Vance Publishing. Archived from the original on May 26, 2013. Retrieved April 23, 2013.
  63. ^ a b Roethler, Eva (August 30, 2017). "H-E-B Donations Reach $1 Million and Deploys Response Teams for Harvey Relief Efforts". And Now U Know. Retrieved November 9, 2018.
  64. ^ "How H-E-B Took Care of its Communities During Harvey". Texas Monthly. September 6, 2017. Retrieved November 9, 2018.
  65. ^ "The Butt Family and H-E-B Lead the Way with $10 Million Donation to Help Build New Elementary Campus in Uvalde". June 28, 2022. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
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