IAFP Names Meijer as Recipient of the Prestigious Black Pearl Award

Tuesday, May 10, 2016

Des Moines, Iowa- The International Association for Food Protection (IAFP) selected Meijer as the 2016 recipient of the prestigious Black Pearl Award. Sponsored by F&H Food Equipment Company, the Black Pearl Award will be presented at IAFP’s Annual Meeting in St. Louis, Missouri in August.

This honor is given annually to one company for its efforts in advancing food safety and quality through consumer programs, employee relations, educational activities, adherence to standards, and support of the goals and objectives of IAFP.

Meijer is a family-owned and privately-held company committed to meeting the needs of families in the communities of each of its 223 supercenters, grocery stores and pharmacies throughout Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Michigan, and Wisconsin.

The Grand Rapids, Michigan-based retailer is the pioneer of the “one-stop shopping” experience with more than 100,000 different products available at affordable prices. Meijer stores offer more than 600 types of high-quality fresh produce and full-service pharmacies providing clinical services, walk-in immunizations, and a robust free prescription program. Along with its meat departments that provide a ‘neighborhood butcher shop experience’ and bakeries that carry fresh bread baked four times daily, Meijer stores also include comprehensive apparel departments, expansive garden centers and fresh floral arrangements. Most Meijer stores also offer a gas station and convenience store.

Meijer enriches the communities it serves by employing as many as 300 full- and part-time team members at each store. It has a long-standing commitment to supporting local growers and buying local when available and when the quality meets its high standards. Its locally-grown program has a total economic impact of nearly $100 million annually. Additionally, Meijer donates more than six percent of its net profit to charitable organizations each year.