Last updated on April 2nd, 2020 at 11:58 am
As the nation continues to see the number of Covid-19 cases climb, essential businesses such as those in the food industry are trying to keep up with increased demand from consumers. In the Southeast, Tennessee-based Dollar General plans to hire up to 50,000 and Louisiana-based Waitr is helping expand grocery delivery.
Dollar General to hire employees to support operations
As the heightened demand for household essentials offered by Dollar General stores continues across the country amid Covid-19 concerns, the Goodlettsville, Tennessee-based company plans to nearly double its normal hiring rate and add up to 50,000 employees by the end of April as it continues to work to support customers’ needs.
“We are proud to serve as one of America’s essential retailers, and we believe our customers are relying on us now more than ever to provide an affordable, convenient retail option,” said Kathy Reardon, Dollar General’s SVP and chief people officer. “The Dollar General family continues to do its part in helping our customers and neighbors during these unprecedented times. We invite individuals looking to start or grow a career, as well as for those whose job may be temporarily impacted by Covid-19, to apply for opportunities to help further our mission of serving others.”
Dollar General currently operates more than 16,300 stores in 45 states, and approximately 75 percent of the American population is within five miles of a Dollar General. The company also operates 17 traditional distribution centers, five DG Fresh cold storage facilities and its private fleet network.
Dollar General provides employees with competitive wages, training and development programs and benefits including day-one eligibility to telemedicine, health insurance coverage options, 401K savings and retirement plans, tuition reimbursement, Dollar General’s Employee Assistance Foundation, paid parental leave, adoption assistance and more.
While Dollar General currently anticipates the majority of these roles to be temporary, the company has a strong track record of career growth and anticipates providing long-term career growth opportunities to some of these new employees. In the past five years alone, Dollar General has added approximately 35,000 net new jobs to the American economy, growing its workforce from 105,000 employees in February 2015 to more than 143,000 current employees.
Waitr partners with Ralph’s Market to expand into grocery delivery
Waitr Holdings Inc., a Lafayette, Louisiana-based provider of on-demand food ordering and delivery, has expanded into same-day grocery delivery in Baton Rouge, Lafayette and Lake Charles, Louisiana, with more cities to come in the near future. In Baton Rouge, Waitr has partnered with Ralph’s Market to help deliver grocery essentials to residents.
Customers can shop on the Waitr app, or at waitrapp.com, by searching Ralph’s Market for basic grocery items such as toilet paper, cleaning supplies and personal care products, as well as meat and produce. Waitr is providing personal shoppers, in addition to delivery drivers, to help fulfill grocery orders from Ralph’s Market. Waitr is also offering a no-contact delivery option for grocery just like it does with restaurant deliveries, which allows for distancing between customers and delivery drivers.
“In such a time of need, we felt like it is our duty to utilize our platform in any way possible to support the Baton Rouge community and plan to support more communities like this in the very near future,” said Carl Grimstad, CEO of Waitr. “We want to be a valuable resource for our local communities during these tough times. Like I’ve said before, if there is anything we can do to ensure the safety, health and well-being of our partners, employees and community, we will do it.”
Founded in 2013, Waitr, along with recently acquired food delivery company Bite Squad, connects local restaurants to diners in underserved U.S. markets. As of Dec. 31, 2019, Waitr and Bite Squad operated in small- and medium-sized markets in the United States in approximately 640 cities.
