LAFOLLETTE, TN (WLAF) – Here is a message from Food City President/CEO Steven C. Smith.

March 13, 2020

Dear Valued Customer,

At Food City, we’ve always been committed to the communities we serve. Likewise, we’re devoted to delivering the safest products possible. With the recent health concerns, we’re taking action to protect our valued customers and dedicated team of associates.

COVID-19 is NOT a foodborne illness and there are NO known transmissions by food handlers. However, we recognize the serious nature of this situation and we wanted to share the actions we are taking to protect our customers and associates. In addition to our comprehensive sanitation programs, we have implemented a number of additional measures to help prevent the spread of bacteria, including:

  • Reemphasized training of our associates on proper hand washing procedures and heightened sanitation procedures.
  • Increased sanitation of the front-end registers, self-checkouts, credit card terminals, shopping carts, restrooms and other common touch points.
  • Hand sanitizer at the registers.
  • Heightened sanitation practices in all departments, including grocery, pharmacy, fuel, meat/seafood, produce, floral, Starbucks, bakery/deli, cafes and service areas.
  • We have temporarily suspended all product sampling programs.
  • We have temporarily suspended our self-service stations, including our soup, salad & wing bars, bagel and donut self-service cases and are only offering pre-packaged servings of those items.
  • Utilization of disease prevention posters and specialized training courses.

We are experiencing manufacturer allocations, due to increased demand on select items throughout the store. Therefore, we have implemented a limit of 2 items per customer on affected items. We may also be unable to fulfill requested quantities on items as advertised. Our stores continue to work to maintain stock levels to service our customers and are in constant communication with supply chain teams.

Our Emergency Preparedness team is working diligently to address concerns related to COVID-19. Based upon the recommendations of the CDC, we encourage our customers and associates to:

  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
  • Stay home when you are sick.
  • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash. If a tissue is unavailable, use the bend of your elbow.
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
  • If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.
  • Follow the CDC suggested hygiene practices.
  • It is very important to use safe food handling practices.

Due to the serious nature of this situation, we want to assure our Food City customers and associates that safety is of the utmost importance. We will continue to closely monitor this situation and share relevant information as it becomes available.

Sincerely,
FOOD CITY


Steven C. Smith
President/CEO

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