Big Y World Class Market says it has extended its price freeze and, although prices could go down and sales will continue, the list also has been expanded from 10,000 to 15,000 everyday grocery items. The hold on prices will now extend to Sept. 2.
Based in Springfield, Massachusetts, Big Y operates 71 supermarket locations throughout Massachusetts and Connecticut.
“When we announced our first price freeze, we heard from over 5,000 customers who indicated how important this action is to them,” said Michael D’Amour, chief operating officer for Big Y. “These remain uncharted times, so we feel this is another way we can help our customers and the community.”
Items already on the price freeze list include specific popular brands of fresh chicken, butter, red and green seedless grapes, peanut butter, macaroni and cheese, breakfast cereal, English muffins, cheese, strawberries, Greek yogurt, pizza, orange juice and spring water. New seasonal items are included in the expansion and include meat franks, country-style pork ribs, frozen beef patties, jumbo fresh clam rolls, grape tomatoes, avocados, raspberries and deli salads, as well as store made cheese pizzas, large subs and fried chicken. Big Y has listed the brands and pricing for these items, and more, on its website.
Additionally, with regional food banks experiencing unprecedented demand during the COVID-19 pandemic, Big Y has provided $250,000 in support to address the rise in food insecurity since March. Using the estimate that every dollar donated provides four meals, the Big Y financial assistance amounts to 1 million meals. See story, here.
The donation was split equally by The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, the Worcester County Food Bank and the Greater Boston Food Bank in Massachusetts, as well as Foodshare and the Connecticut Food Bank in Connecticut. Big Y also supplies surplus food to local food banks on a weekly basis. On an annual basis, the company’s Sack Hunger program donates more than $11.5 million in food or a total of 5.7 million meals to help those in need throughout the region.
“As a family business, we recognize our responsibility to be exceptional in our service to our customers, especially right now,” D’Amour said. “Our customers are like family to us and that’s why the friendly service in our stores as well as commitment to the community remains exceptional as well.”
Big Y Foods Inc. is one of the largest independently owned supermarket chains in New England. With almost 12,000 employees, Big Y operates 83 locations throughout Massachusetts and Connecticut, including 71 supermarkets, Fresh Acres Market, Table & Vine Fine Wines and Liquors and 10 Big Y Express gas and convenience locations. Founded in 1936 by brothers Paul and Gerald D’Amour, the store was named after an intersection in Chicopee, Massachusetts, where two roads converge to form a Y.
