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I hate H.E.B. Not all H.E.B.'s, just the one on Olmos Drive. The one closest to my house.
I hate the way the parking lot is laid out. I hate the location of the gas station in the parking lot. I hate the way the store is laid out. I hate the way the management is constantly rearranging the inventory on the shelves. I hate the store's inability to keep basic goods in inventory -- how can a grocery store run out of tomatoes, or green peppers? I hate the way they keep changing stock; when I used to shop there regularly, every time I'd find some new product that I like, they'd stop carrying it. I hate that they got rid of the meat market (it's been years, I know, but I still count that among my grievances). I hate the way they increase the selection of processed pre-cooked foods and cut back on things for people who actually cook themselves. I hate the way people bring their kids to the store at 9pm; don't they have any concept of a child's needs? I hate the lines at the checkouts -- if there aren't enough people in line, they close a couple of registers.
Mostly I hate the fact that H.E.B. doesn't give a damn about any of this. I know this because, several years ago, I wrote a two-page (typed) letter complaining of all the problems with that store, and got the response that they always appreciated hearing from their customers.
One of these days a real grocery store is going to open in this town again -- not merely collections of canned goods like Wal-Mart or Target, not a fru-fru hoity-toity new-age place like Whole Foods (and don't get me started on their parking lot). As it is, I'll drive to Lincoln Heights and pay the higher prices there to avoid the Olmos B (though I also go to Wal-Mart now, thanks to Lincoln Heights H.E.B.'s bakery's refusal, one time a couple of years ago, to sell me two kaiser rolls); but I won't pay the outrageous prices at Whole Foods, unless it's for something indispensable that can only be found there (and there ain't much that's indispensable). When that real grocery store comes back, I'll be there, waiting.
There, now; I feel much better for having gotten that off my chest.
I still hate HEB. Some things never change.
ReplyDeleteI hate HEB, too. Their brand name products are tasteless and promoted as gormet but tasteless or taste bad. Don't buy the Yucatan chicken, It's really nasty.
ReplyDeleteI don't know about the Yucatan chicken; I'm one of the increasingly small minority of people who have (or make) time to cook meals, plus I'm cheap, so I don't buy pre-cooked and processed foods. (They must be popular, though, or at least more profitable than the healthier foods, because they continue to crowd out the more time-consuming stuff.)
DeleteAs for the HEB name-brand products, I'm not sure I agree with Anonymous there. In most cases I find the Hill Country Fare brand to be the equal of the name brands, and in some cases the superior, and they are always cheaper Their Filled Chocolate Squares cereal is so much better than the Kellogg version that I don't dare bring it into the house, as a box will last only as long as it takes to empty it, handful by handful. And the HEB brand cold cuts in the delicatessen are every bit as good as Boar's Head, and cheaper.
I still hate the HEB on Olmos Drive, though, and will only go there if I need one or two things in a hurry.
I hate HEB too. I have shopped at many an HEB in San Antonio and Austin. I hate that they have a monopoly on grocers in Texas. HEB seems more interested in competing with Walmart. The HEB shopping exeperience has become a big box nightmare. Crowded (huge) parking lots for enormous stores nestled in shopping strips. Stores so big its a chore to shop small., like for a single people. HEB employees generally seem disgruntled. Though can't say I blame them. In Austin HEB doesnt provide free bags or carrying containers (like recycled boxes) to its customers. There is a city ordinance that banned plastic bags. You can BUY an obnoxious HEB plastic bag though. Tonite I forgot my bags and didnt want to buy yet another HEB reusable plastic bag, so the bagger put my items in the shopping cart. When I was loading my items into my car I noticed the bagger stuck a "my HEB" sticker on almost everything I bought. How absurd for HEB to not give me a .25 cent bag, but to waste effort and $ putting its logo on nearly everything I purchased. I am so sickened with HEBs logo and grocery domination here in Texas. I will forever go out of my way to shop at Sprouts
ReplyDeleteI, too HATE certain HEB stores. I truly believe they are near the breaking point of their logistics organization. Many popular items go unstocked while others glut the shelves. They cannot understand the concept of "corn meal mix" at the store nearest me. Not to mention the blocked fire extinguishers and fire alarm pull stations.
ReplyDeleteI hate HEB because there are too many of their own store brands that aren't equal in quality or taste to the national brands in the store. I recently purchased a bag of HEB frozen broccoli. The bag contained 99.0 percent of broccoli stems and 1 percent broccoli florets. The contents was very different from the picture on the bag. HEB should do better.
ReplyDeleteI grew up with HEB, but we also had other grocery stores from which to choose. HEB was much more competitive back then, and I don't mean just on their pricing. The quality of their products, especially those that are fresh, like produce and meats, were much better. There was a selection of brands for dry goods, which is almost completely absent from today's HEB, where they have managed to create not one, but at least two and on many items more, of their own store brand, effectively removing national brands from their shelves.
ReplyDeleteThe obvious and unapologetic monopoly the chain holds in San Antonio, is without question, is not in the best interest of our communities. The lack of competition means that we are at the mercy of this large corporation for fresh products, competitive brands, and most importantly, pricing. This corporation has engaged in less-than-transparent business practices for decades, some of which are down right shady. As an example, It's well known that stores in communities with a lower socioeconomic customer base, will inflate prices at the beginning of the month, when customers have more money to spend at the store. This practice was especially targeting families on food stamps, when they were all dispersed at the beginning of the month. (That is no longer the case, as dispersements are now staggered throughout the month).
I often find a lot of disparity in the quality of produce and meats available in differing neighborhoods. Even the selection of dry goods is grossly different in the same way. HEB doesn't even need to hide these shady practices, because they have no competition. Some would suggest that the grocery sections at Target and Walmart qualify as competitures, but I disagree. Most of the fresh produce and meats are made with a different set of shelf stable parameters. This would include meats packaged out of town and meant to be stored, and in many cases, frozen, for a much longer period of time than stores that operate primarily as grocers. I for one, miss having Albertsons, Kroger, Safeway, and other national stores like Publix or King grocers.
The monopoly that HEB is permitted to possess in San Antonio is not only harmful to its customers, but to the national brands that are no longer available at their stores. These brands have been replaced with an HEB brand, usually multiple HEB brands, like Hill Country Fare, the lowest level "generic", and also a higher level store brand, and many times, there are more.
I'm not sure why HEB is permitted, if not encouraged, to hold a monopoly on groceries in San Antonio, but I suspect there are campaign donations being made that ensure this situation continues, despite what's best for our communities.
To be clear, my expectations of a grocer with adequate competition, would include fresh produce of equal quality across all neighborhoods, a selection of meats that are consistent in cut, quality and price, opportunities to use coupons - both for national brands and the local store brand, and a continuity of selection that wouldn't require customers to visit multiple locations to fulfill one shopping list. I assure you that these ideals are common practice in most other metropolitan markets of similar size as San Antonio. And the prices in many of these communities are much more competitive as a result. I don't believe I'm asking too much.
I approved that comment, although I have some reservations about its accuracy in some ways. Still, it is an opinion that I often hear voiced around town when talk turns to HEB.
ReplyDeleteFor the most part, it consists of unverifiable speculation and unexamined induction. As such, its real value, should it have any, would be to spur the slack local news outlets to perhaps engage in some effort at investigative reporting, albeit against what is surely one of their largest advertisers.
My only comment it to state that, as someone who regularly shops at other grocery store chains (King Sooper in Colorado, Basha's in Arizona, and Safeway in both places), the prices at HEB are still significantly and noticeably lower on almost all products than in those places, in both of which there is steady competition for my supermarket dollars. I don't know why that is; I don't believe HEB is altruistic in the least, but I know that the groceries I bought last week for $128 in Colorado would have run me right about $100 if I'd bought them here.
HEB near me is a really bad ! I don’t like to shop here ! They produce is low quality and the chickens are filled with water to maximize their profits.
ReplyDeleteI am trying to shop at other places.
Do not recommend to anyone!