Southeastern Grocers Inc. (SEG) celebrates its diverse associates and communities during Hispanic Heritage Month by hosting educational events and cooking demonstrations honoring the Hispanic culture.
SEG tapped its Hispanic associates and allies resource group, Pa’lante, to help plan festivities focused on celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month at its Store Support Center and in its Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket, and Winn-Dixie stores to honor Hispanic histories and culture and spotlight the grocer’s Hispanic associates, said the grocery chain in a press release.
Raymond Rhee, Chief People Officer for Southeastern Grocers, said, “At Southeastern Grocers, we celebrate our diverse associates and customers who are the fabric of our local communities. Hispanic Heritage Month is a time to commemorate the histories and cultures of our Hispanic neighbors and acknowledge their accomplishments through education and immersion. We’re excited to celebrate Hispanic heritage with our customers and associates and elevate those with Hispanic backgrounds, all while developing a deeper understanding of the cultures that make our local communities unique.”
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Southeastern Grocers is hosting several events at its Store Support Center to immerse its associates in Hispanic culture through food, music, language, and education, including:
- Virtual cooking demonstration to prepare turkey and mushroom empanadas de picadillo with MasterChef Latino winner Lauren Arboleda.
- Fireside chat on “Reinventing Allyship: Understanding the Hispanic Culture to Transform our Workplace” with award-winning author of “Uncolonized Latinas” Valeria Aloe and SEG’s Chief Information Officer Todd Renaud.
- Open house for associates and their families to experience Hispanic cultures through traditional food and activities.
- Spanish 101 classes to learn conversational Spanish.
Local chefs will create traditional Latin American dishes, including ropa vieja, shrimp mofongo, mojo chicken, and roast pork, during two live cooking demonstration events on Friday, Sept. 30, from 3 – 7 p.m., and Saturday, Oct. 1, from 12 – 4 p.m.
The first 50 customers at each event, to be held at the Winn Dixie store at 3275 SW 22nd Street and Fresco y Más at 18300 SW 137th Avenue, will receive a reusable grocery bag filled with Southeastern Grocers dry ingredients and a $25 gift card for fresh items to recreate the meals at home.
SEG’s approach to cultivating a company with people-first values and fostering an environment that champions inclusion was recently recognized by Fortune as a 2022 Best Workplaces in Retail, by The Silicon Review as one of the 30 Fabulous Companies of the Year, and included in Newsweek’s list of America’s Most Trusted Companies. The National Diversity Council has also recognized the grocer as a top employer for Latino leaders in response to its extraordinary commitment to Latinos in the workplace.
Southeastern Grocers believes its team should reflect its diverse customers and is seeking associates with all levels of experience and backgrounds. SEG and the SEG Gives Foundation also are currently accepting applications from nonprofit organizations for its Romay Davis Belonging, Inclusion, and Diversity Grant program, in support of its ongoing efforts to help address racial disparities in education, health care, and food insecurity,
Organizations supporting underserved populations throughout Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi may apply online at www.seggives.com/grantapp through Sept. 30 to be considered for a Romay Davis Belonging, Inclusion, and Diversity grant from $5,000 to $25,000.