Headquartered in San Antonio, H-E-B is the largest grocery company based in Texas with more than 300 stores, 72,000 employees and $13 billion in annual sales. H-E-B is the largest private employer in the state of Texas.
Case Study
H-E-B plus! is a superstore format that expands on H-E-B’s core strengths as a grocer offering fresh foods such as produce, dairy, bakery, meat and seafood, while introducing new departments with general merchandise and more than 40,000 new items shoppers would not expect from a typical H-E-B. A sampling of new departments includes Entertainment, Card & Party, Bed & Bath, Texas Backyard and Cook & Grill. The H-E-B plus! format is designed to compete with Wal-Mart and Super Target and represents a major strategic initiative of the company.
Our introduction of H-E-B plus! included opening the first three of these stores in a rapid six-week campaign across Corpus Christi, San Antonio and Round Rock. Since the first three openings, our team has opened H-E-B plus! stores in cities across Texas including Waco, Leander, Kyle, Rio Grande City and Victoria, providing publicity, community outreach and event support.
Each opening is designed to connect with customers in the community where the store is built. Opening celebrations include:
- A major philanthropy tie-in
- Preview parties for VIP guests
- Media preview
- Detailed press kits
- Media on scene during opening celebration and opening day
- The Corpus Christi opening included a concert by Lyle Lovett for 3,000 guests and the grand opening in Round Rock included a similar event with Lee Ann Womack headlining.
Media coverage secured
Austin American-Statesman, Austin Business Journal, Business Journal of Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi Caller-Times, Progressive Grocer, San Antonio Business Journal, San Antonio Express-News, Supermarket News, community newspapers in each market, and TV outlets in Austin, San Antonio, Corpus Christi.
Corpus Christi Caller-Times Front Page Coverage
Austin American-Statesman Business Front Page Coverage
Interview with the Mayor of San Antonio, Texas
