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>> Kirk Clark, Advertising Director: Customer experience is paramount in anything that we
do. Not only are we in the grocery business, but we’re in the people business as well.
>> Johnny Morton, Outbound Manager: We feed around a million people each week.
>> David Benefield, Inbound Manager: I most enjoy the challenge of everyday operations
here. It’s a fast paced operation, it’s the food business.
>> Susan Jones, Benefits Manager: I’ve worked here for 25 years, it’s a great family owned
business and I enjoy coming to work every day
>> Tina Walker, Administration: I’ve lived a lot of different places, and Albertville
is my favorite place that I have ever lived.
>> VO: Since 1945, Mitchell Grocery has been headquartered in Albertville, Alabama where
it plays a big role in the economic vitality and close-knit community. It has grown to
become one of Alabama’s largest employers. Three generations of Mitchells have led the
company’s continuous growth , as well as it’s expansion into 5 southeastern states,
since it’s humble beginnings in two downtown Albertville storefronts.
>> Jack Mitchell, CEO: There were not really any supermarkets in this part of the country
at that time, so the business was done with general stores out in the rural areas. So
we sold some groceries, probably half of the business was livestock feed to these country
stores.
>> David Mitchell, President: I started working when I was 12, worked summers, afternoons,
after school, and then after I finished college I went to work full-time in 1984.
>> Jack M: My sons came into the business at a young age, pretty much like I did, working
in the company and trying to learn all jobs.
>> Jay Mitchell, Vice President of Retail Operations: Currently we sell about 25,000
distinct products, stock keeping units across all categories. Dry Grocery, dairy, frozen,
meat, produce, ice cream, milk, fresh bread. We carry wall to wall all the items that a
grocery store would need to operate.
VO: Mitchell Grocery provides products to 170 independent stores throughout the southeast.
Before product ever gets to its grocer clients, Mitchell has dozens of inbound trucks bringing
goods to its 500,000 square foot Albertville warehouse. Products come from carefully selected
suppliers, most within a 300 mile radius. The choreography of receiving, unpacking,
tracking and storing them is an important part of the warehouse work load each and every
day.
>> DB: I’m responsible for about 120 people who take care of the inbound freight here
at the warehouse. We’re talking about dry goods, and our refrigerated goods. It's probably
anywhere from 500 to 550,000 cases a week. That translates to about 85 trucks a day that
we unload here at Mitchell.
>> VO: David Benefield collaborates with outbound manager Johnny Morton, whose team processes
outbound orders and puts another 80 Mitchell trucks on the road to deliver food and dry
goods customers.
>> Johnny M: The outbound manager is responsible for all products that is shipped. From orders
selecting, to loading, to getting it on the truck and getting it ready for the driver
to come in and getting the truck and carrying it to the store.
>> DM: I believe that one of the ways that independent retailers set themselves apart
is through perishable products. We buy produce right out of the fields. We buy fresh meat
from the packing plants in the Midwest and bring them right into the store, and it’s
fresh, and it’s handled well, and it gives us an edge over other people in the market.
>> VO: The variety and high quality of its products and an efficient distribution system
gives Mitchell a competitive edge. The company also enjoys healthy relationships with its
employees. Many who have worked at Mitchell for more than 20 years, and advanced from
entry level to managerial positions. Some have worked here close to 40 years.
>> Johnny M: I like working at Mitchell Grocery because you’re doing more than just moving
boxes around. You’re providing a service for the community so families can go to the
grocery store and buy food for their families.
>> Jay M: I think the family atmosphere over all is a very big plus to working here. we’ve
had kind of a running joke around the company for a long time that either you leave in a
year or you stay for twenty, there’s not a lot of middle ground. Most of the people
who fit, fit long term.
>> Jack M: We've had a lot of people who have been able to move up in their career and take
on more responsibility. The majority of our people are homegrown, they came up in the
company.
>> DB: I started on the dock, stacking product on the inbound freight, went to order selecting,
went to driving the lift, loading, and then into supervision. In other words, I tell a
new guy I won’t ask you to do anything I hadn’t done, if I do, I’ll do it with
you.
>> DM: One of the things we try to do is encourage our leadership to be involved in professional
groups like the National Grocer’s Association, or the Alabama Grocer’s Association, and
we financially support that, and give them the time to do that.
>> Jeannie Lyle, Executive Director, United Way of Marshall County: United Way of Marshall
County presented Mitchell Grocery with the star award this year for outstanding campaign
participation. They had an excellent campaign, they provide not only manpower but food, and
just support to the United Way and our many agencies to help folks in need.
>> Jeff Kenny: Here at Mitchell we live united. I like the atmosphere. I like the people I
work with, see a lot of different people and get to work with a lot of people.
>> KC: Our leadership in this company provide clear, distinct examples of the culture to
follow, and it’s very simple. Number 1, take care of the customer, number 2, do the
right thing.
>> VO: Living out its long held principles of putting customers first and doing the right
has meant continual growth for Mitchell throughout the years. Mitchell grocery is always looking
for new team members to share the company’s growth and vision of providing real value
for their customers and real opportunities for team members.
>> Johnny M: We work as a team here, and so everybody just pitches in when needed.
>> DB: What we’re gonna do is in receiving or shipping, we’re gonna come together and
work together as a team and get the job done so we can get the product out at an efficient
price so our customers can be competitive. So we’re providing a service to our customers
where they can pass along to their consumers.
>> DM: There’s a lot of things about coming to work for Mitchell that I think would be
attractive to an employee. The stability of the company, we’ve been in business for
67 years and never laid anybody off. We’ve had growth in all those years, and it creates
opportunities for an individual that wants to progress in the company and wants to improve
their life.
>> Jay M: I’m very proud of the employees who work in our stores and in our company,
because they feed the southeast. There are hundreds of details that have to be seen to
every day and have to be executed flawlessly for us to be able to provide the right product,
and the right price at the right time, so that our customers get the level of service
that they expect. And our people go above and beyond day in and day out to get that
done.
>> DM: When I’m traveling around the country or I meet somebody I don’t know, I’m proud
to say that the people I work with, the team members in our company are well rounded, solid,
hard working dedicated individuals. And I’m proud to be part of them.
>> Jeannie Lyle, UW: What better place to live and work than a company like Mitchell
that gives you the opportunities to be involved in your community and live united.
>> DB: A lot of the guys that started around the same time I had, we were talking the other
day, some of us weren’t married yet, some of were, some of us had no children, now we’ve
had children, and some of them are grandparents now. So it’s just been fun to work with
them, work with a company that’s solid like Mitchell Grocery
>> JK: I take a lot of pride in keeping the facility clean, so we can deliver a clean
product to our customers.
>> Johnny M: Mitchell is like my 2nd family. I love working here.
>> VO: Mitchell Grocery is always looking for new team members to share the company’s
growth and vision of being the trusted community ? to provide real value for their customers
and real opportunities for team members.