Last updated on April 2nd, 2020
Nino Jefferson Lim, founder of Walnut, California-based Island Pacific Supermarket, has reached out to customers to about the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Lim said he is proud that Island Pacific Supermarket has been able to replenish its stores’ shelves daily in most of the major product categories in order to better serve its communities.
“This remarkable feat of walking into a well-stocked Island Pacific was only made possible through the hard work and dedication of our grocers who have been working around the clock, sanitizing the stores, receiving products, merchandising empty shelves and fixing major disruptions in our supply-chain,” Lim said. “Since the advent of the Covid-19 pandemic we have made the health and safety of our customers, employees and our community our top priority.”
He said the company was one of the first in the industry to deploy a public service advertising campaign in all its supermarkets to reinforce preventive measures to help limit the spread of Covid-19. Island Pacific also has dedicated the first hour of shopping time exclusively for seniors 60 and older, expectant mothers, persons with disabilities, medical professionals/frontliners and/or persons with compromised immune systems. It also immediately increased its stores’ inventory level and has pledged honest pricing to deter price gouging, as reported in some other markets.
“As an essential part of our community, let me share with you some of the challenges we are currently facing. Our staff members have been working extremely long hours and are very exhausted. All of us are exposed to thousands of customers daily and have an elevated risk of contracting the virus. We all have families and when we get home, our families are also placed at risk because of our daily exposure in the supermarkets,” Lim said. “The Covid-19 pandemic has also caused state-wide cancellation of schools, so several of us must manage our work and at the same time be able to take care of our children at home. Lastly, as retailers, we are at the end of the food distribution channel and we have observed that due to the unnecessary panic buying, some of the cost of commodities have been increasing, which makes it more difficult for us to maintain the everyday low prices we are known for to our customers.”
Lim suggested ways Island Pacific’s customers can help.
- Stay at home if you are sick or even if you think you might be sick. If you are in excellent condition and decide to shop at any grocery store, be mindful in practicing social distancing and ceaselessly sanitize your hands.
- If you are one of the thousands that have been recently unemployed and are in good health, the company is looking for associates who are eager to serve their community. Those interested may immediately apply by clicking here.
- To help control the rising commodity prices, buy only what you need since panic buying will create further panic and results in shortages. There is more than enough food in the supply chain if everyone would only buy what they need, he said.
“As a final request, whenever you meet a grocer, please let them know how much they are appreciated. While we consider as heroes our fire fighters, paramedics, police officers and military personnel, now is the time that our community can also recognize our grocers who risks their health and safety in order to serve us in the supermarkets,” Lim said. “Thank you for your continued support of Island Pacific, and it’s been an honor and a privilege to be able to serve all of you.”
Island Pacific is supermarket chain dedicated to promoting Filipino food and seafood to the rest of the world. It currently has 16 supermarket branches serving communities in California and Las Vegas.
