HEB OR Walmart? (Center, Lytle, Alto: store, charges, grocery)

[Randyk47]

Originally Posted by TexasRedneck

To be fair....when the out-of-state chains entered the SA market, they let it be known that they intended to take HEB out of the grocery business. HEB did the only thing they could - they squared off with national chains and handed their b**** to 'em fair and square. IMO, they earned their market share - and I applaud them for that. The newer markets are coming in with a lot more recognition that HEB is a force to be reckoned with - and that's smart.

We've always had good luck getting them to get things for us just by asking a manager if they didn't carry something. I, for one, am proud to see that a local business was able to take on major out-of-state companies and beat 'em at their own game. And don't forget - HEB is a HUGE contributor to local organizations and a major source of aid to local communities in times of natural disasters.

While I’m not native to San Antonio or Texas for that matter I have to agree TexasRedneck. HEB took the big guys on and drove them out of town. We transferred here from Northern Virginia and initially it was a bit odd there weren’t more food shopping choices but we’ve never been disappointed with HEB. HEB reminded us a lot of Giant back in Northern Virginia which was our favorite grocery though we had several other chains. Heck we were happy that food prices were a lot lower here so for us that was a good change.

[House4kids]

I missed HEB when I left TX in 2011, rejoiced with Spouts in AZ, Wish I had it now back in SETX, but will be happy again with HEB.

[Rustybolt]

Originally Posted by TexasRedneck

To be fair....when the out-of-state chains entered the SA market, they let it be known that they intended to take HEB out of the grocery business. HEB did the only thing they could - they squared off with national chains and handed their b**** to 'em fair and square. IMO, they earned their market share - and I applaud them for that. The newer markets are coming in with a lot more recognition that HEB is a force to be reckoned with - and that's smart.

We've always had good luck getting them to get things for us just by asking a manager if they didn't carry something. I, for one, am proud to see that a local business was able to take on major out-of-state companies and beat 'em at their own game. And don't forget - HEB is a HUGE contributor to local organizations and a major source of aid to local communities in times of natural disasters.

Predatory pricing with the intent of maintaining a monopoly is never good for the consumer. For example, HEB in Kyle TX has recently slashed their prices on merchandise in advance of a new Lidl store to be built there, while the rest of us, pay the higher prices. HEB is good, but not great, in terms of quality or price. Their lack of competition has made them sloppy and careless. They deserve to be dealt a blow strong enough to restore competition. They have been relentless fighters, as a family run company, and have deep pockets to fend off competitors. Those deep pockets come from the consumer who have shelled out cash to make them rich. And as far as their philanthropy...every dime of that has come from their customers. They have aided communities in times of natural disasters because they ran everyone else out of town. Remember the only grocery store in Port A is an IGA store and they damn sure helped their community after Hurricane Harvey. HEB has everyone in south Texas very well brainwashed and they fight hard to keep it that way.

[TexasRedneck]

Understand something.....HEB has no one in this household brainwashed - but I CAN respect a company that fights to stand their ground. For the record, I designed several custom water treatment systems for HEB, but when they kept pushing me for lower prices AND better service I had to tell them to pick one. Ultimately, I simply asked them to take their business elsewhere - I wasn't interested in working on equipment at a price we'd barely break even on. I don't begrudge them that - there's lots of companies out there that'll work just so they can brag about them being a customer......I didn't need that.

I was called back out about 10 years ago to look at bidding on some of their business again. I thanked them for the opportunity and passed. But having said all that - they do a lot for their communities. Sure, the money comes from their customers.....but there's plenty of other businesses out there that make a lot more profit from us that do a LOT less. And given that there's WalMart, Sams and Costco - you really can't say they have no competition.

[KerrTown]

Originally Posted by Lodestar 77

Really? Why? I, as someone from Michigan who never shopped Wegman's or Publix, and when moved to Texas, shop HEB pretty much exclusively (it helps that the only competition is from Walmart and Target) would like to know how the 2 you mention are superior to HEB? In Michigan I did shop at Kroger, and liked that supermarket alot.

That's why I live in Houston and not San Antonio. Both because of H-E-B, and Sinclair owning the NBC, FOX and CW stations there and pushing their mandatory propaganda from corporate. Talk about monopolies!

Can't stand another recall for metal fragments in their ground beef. Why does metal and ground beef go together at H-E-B? They must really overwork their grinders to death.

The bad yeast going around resulted in H-E-B recalling their store brand breads. They really need better suppliers!

Originally Posted by ged_782

The only major national grocery-specialty chains that were in San Antonio in the past were Albertson's and Kroger.


Albertson's entered San Antonio in the 1970s, when HEB, Handy-Andy, and Piggly Wiggly were the big three here. HEB started to pull away from their two main competitors in the mid-1970s, when they adopted a more aggressive pricing and marketing strategy. Kroger came in around 1980, IIRC, but they pulled out in the 1990s. Albertsons left in the early 2000s.

With Albertsons pulling out of Houston, Kroger was able to ditch almost all of the "Greenhouse" stores and go to the modern superstore layout Randalls had put out a few years earlier..

Originally Posted by elnina

I don't like the fact that HEB got rid of most competitors.
Their prices are higher, and their food selection is much smaller here than in Houston, and that alone pretty much sucks...

I just hope that Kroger is able to beat H-E-B out of Houston if not for sweet revenge. Kroger has been in Houston longer than Alaska and Hawaii have been states. I still consider H-E-B a stranger for being a late-comer (if counting the "Pantry" era, 25 years pales in comparison to the 60+ of Kroger in Houston) and being Hill Country-centric in its "Texas" branding.

I've shopped Publix while visiting Florida and don't like their high prices and monopoly status. Their closest competitor was Winn-Dixie with older, smaller stores with better prices. It doesn't help that Florida is a big cul-de-sac and it's on the other coast from the California breadbasket.

[ged_782]

Originally Posted by KerrTown

That's why I live in Houston and not San Antonio. Both because of H-E-B, and Sinclair owning the NBC, FOX and CW stations there and pushing their mandatory propaganda from corporate. Talk about monopolies!

I can see why HEB's dominance in San Antonio could be considered a near-monopoly, because depending upon one's geographic location, there may be no other nearby options for groceries.


TV station ownership, however, is a whole different ballgame. For one, station ownership really only influences local programming (like primarily newscasts), and has no influence on network programming, which makes up the bulk of their offerings. The local CW doesn't even offer a newscast. There are other options for local English-language TV news at the push of a button.

[Randyk47]

I have no idea if this is true or not, may be nothing but myth or imagination, but when we moved here in the early 2000s I asked my long time resident boss about the HEB dominance. He said HEB had been very clever in the early years and was very good getting local suppliers under contract. His view was HEB put as many Texas farmers and ranchers under contract as they could with a particular focus on fresh goods like produce and meat. This meant other chains had to bring in these same products from more distant producers potentially at a higher cost and therefore higher retail. Couple that with HEB cutting their initial margins to the minimum the squeeze was on. ????

[resonator]

There's a lot of HEB factories over on the east side of town too. Maybe they don't own them, but they are captive. Chips, ice cream, all sorts of stuff.

They have a good presence in Houston too.

Only thing about HEB that I don't like is their prices on the same things vary - different prices at different stores. Alon store is high.

[Ivory Lee Spurlock]

HEB in Austin serves up a really good Thanksgiving dinner for the homeless and the down and outters every year in Austin. Lots of really food. They don't ask who you are, where you been, or what you've done. Everybody's invited and nobody gets turned a way.

I don't know if HEB does that in every city that has an HEB or it's only in Austin, but it's such a good community gesture for a business to do and it sets a good example for other businesses in Austin to follow.

One more reason to like HEB.

[resonator]

Originally Posted by Ivory Lee Spurlock

HEB in Austin serves up a really good Thanksgiving dinner for the homeless and the down and outters every year in Austin. Lots of really food. They don't ask who you are, where you been, or what you've done. Everybody's invited and nobody gets turned a way.

I don't know if HEB does that in every city that has an HEB or it's only in Austin, but it's such a good community gesture for a business to do and it sets a good example for other businesses in Austin to follow.

One more reason to like HEB.

Can't beat "really food"