LAKEWOOD, Colo., Feb. 11, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- February marks
Crew Appreciation Month at Natural Grocers, a time dedicated to
celebrating and thanking the Natural Grocers good4uSM
Crew for their unwavering support of their local communities.
Throughout the month, Natural Grocers will treat store, bulk
production, warehouse, and corporate Crew with gifts to show its
gratitude for the Crew's dedication and hard work during the
uniquely difficult year of 2020.
In recognition of the Crew's extraordinary efforts and
commitment to keeping their communities rooted in health, Natural
Grocers instituted a hero pay and bonus program which began in
March 2020 and continues into 2021.
The incremental cost of these pay enhancements was approximately
$14 million as of December 31, 2020, which includes a permanent
$1 per hour pay increase for hourly
Crew and ongoing periodic discretionary bonuses.
As the backbone of an essential business, Natural Grocers'
good4u Crew members show up every day to welcome their communities,
ensure shelves are stocked, provide world-class customer service
and free Nutrition Education, and offer the best in nutritious
foods, health-supportive supplements, household essentials, and
body care products. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, these
knowledgeable, friendly and hardworking Crew members have shown
themselves to be heroes in aprons and, for now, face
masks.
While the good4u Crew takes center stage in February, gratitude
for the Crew is a time-honored tradition for the Isely family, who
founded and operate Natural Grocers. Over the past 65 years,
"Commitment to our good4u Crew" has been a stalwart of Natural
Grocers' Founding Principles, guiding the Iselys as they navigate
how to best serve their growing team. When 2020 tested the world
like never before, the Isely family depended on their Founding
Principles to guide them throughout the crisis.
"We learned a lot by watching our parents operate and grow
Natural Grocers, and one of the most important lessons was to treat
our Crew as part of our extended family," commented Kemper Isely, Natural Grocers Co-President. "We
have always said that our Crew is what makes us great, and our hope
is that our Crew feels cared for and bolstered during these
challenging times."
Additional pandemic-related support systems for Crew members
include providing personal protective equipment, expanded
healthcare benefits, paid sick days and leave options, daily immune
and stress support supplements, and mental health care
programs.
About Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage
Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. (NYSE: NGVC) is an
expanding specialty retailer of natural and organic groceries, body
care products and dietary supplements. The products sold by Natural
Grocers must meet strict quality guidelines and may not contain
artificial colors, flavors, preservatives or sweeteners, or
partially hydrogenated or hydrogenated oils. The Company sells only
USDA certified organic produce and exclusively pasture-raised,
non-confinement dairy products, and free-range eggs. Natural
Grocers' flexible smaller-store format allows it to offer
affordable prices in a shopper-friendly, safe and convenient retail
environment. The Company also provides extensive free science-based
nutrition education programs to help customers make informed health
and nutrition choices. The Company, founded in 1955, has 160 stores
in 20 states.
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SOURCE Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc.