Leah McGrath, the most public face of the Asheville-based grocery store chain Ingles, vents a little on her blog, inglesnutrition.blogspot.com. McGrath is known as the Ingles dietician. Here’s a relevant bit:
I know I get a little touchy on this issue, but I think people who grew up locally and many who have lived here for any length of time “get it”. Many knew Mr. Ingle when he was just starting out and worked with him to help him grow his business and build his stores in mountain communities that otherwise would be considered “food deserts”. Others play bridge with Mrs. Ingle, went to high school with the Ingle children or just had their first jobs to afford to buy a car or pay their way through college at an Ingles Market.
With over 1,000 employees in this area, Ingles Markets is one of the top employeres in Buncombe County. In recent years we’ve worked hard to continue to provide our customers with what they want. We have a wide variety of organic products and even our own line of certified organic items. We feature products from local vendors throughout the stores, from our own Laura Lynn milk from local dairy farmers to local bread (Annie’s of Asheville,Wild Flour, City Bakery), local beer (Highland, Asheville Brewing and others), local produce (New Sprout Farms, Flavor 1st ) and even local sausage (Nantahala) and so,so many more. We also have the widest selection and number of gluten free products of any supermarket in the southeast and support the gluten free community by holding a gluten free fair in Asheville (for the past 5 years) and sponsoring others in Atlanta, Knoxville and Greenville.
Ingles continues to support schools with the Tools for Schools program and you can see our distinctive Ingles logo on events we contribute to throughout the year from the Mountain State Fair to the Chamber 5k and from the Ingles Giving Tree to the National Gingerbread Competition at the Grove Park Inn.
So to those who think that Ingles is just another “big box” supermarket, I respectfully disagree. We are a lean organization with a big heart for the communities where we have stores and especially for Asheville, the town where we got our start.
8 Comments
There is a trade off and a choice when you decide where to shop. The idea that a corporation should follow your exact priorities and value system is pretty laughable, but if that’s what you choose, the selections are wide enough in Asheville and online that you can find products you feel good about purchasing.
Ingles supports many worthy causes and seems to take seriously their responsibility to the community to provide food options for different cultures and those with sensitivities.
At the end of the day, they are a corporation and the sole purpose of a corporation is to attract and retain customers. Job #2 is to return value to their share holders. The fact that Ingles does those two jobs well while still supporting the community is laudable in and of itself.
Buying from a company that has local roots and whose headquarters is here seems to be a good thing. I hate to think what people would say about other local companies if they grew “too much”.
Also, for those who hold Trader Joe’s up on a pedestal: They are owned by the same folks who own the Aldi chain and their job is just the same as Ingles.
Also: How much exactly should people get paid for working in a grocery store. I’ve done that work and it requires little more than the physical ability to stand around. The jobs are low paying because of supply and demand, nothing more.
wal mart does the same things. thanks for the low paying jobs.
"We're not a big box".
It would be far more believable if Ingles actually cared about the natural environment here in Western North Carolina. Any, or ALL of the following would work towards that a) solar powered stores b) renovating existing stores with solar c) not working to relax environmental regulations d) showing public support for environmental protection e) integrating electric power charging stations for automobiles
This is meaningless Ingles corporate babble.
Ingles is most definitely a big box grocery chain. Just look at the size and bland architecture and design of most of their stores.
As supermarkets go, Ingles is just an average regional chain that happens to be based in Asheville and serves this region. There's nothing really special nor unique about any Ingles I've visited — they're similar to most other big box chains across the country, just with a Laura Lynn private label on some merchandise, just like the other stores practice.
We only shop at Ingles when we have to. I much prefer Harris Teeter (their stores are much less Big Box feeling and cleaner than Ingles).
If only Asheville could get a Trader Joes or Publix.
What community concern did Bob Ingle have in mind when he and the owner of the Publix supermarket chain forged an agreement to not encroach upon the other's territories? Was it the need for Ingles to not have to have any actual competition, so they can keep their prices high or was old Bob just concerned that people around here may have too much choice in where they buy their groceries?
I live within ten miles of five Ingles stores, and they do have a pretty wide variance in product selection unlike most big box stores. However it took Earth Fare opening across the street of the most convenient Ingles for the store to offer more local and organic products. Additionally like a big box store they have replaced their express lanes (and thus the cashiers) with self-check lines. They also have massive lighting arrays and pedestrian unfriendly parking lots. While we do the bulk of our shopping at the coop, I do appreciate Ingles efforts to offer more local and organic products.
They also work to provide food to Manna Food Bank. Please bring more local beers to Ingles. Yum!
As an ex-employee of Ingles Markets, Inc, I can tell you about the millions of $$$ spent on sex discrimination, gender discrimination, violations of policies, etc. I NEVER shop at Ingles unless its absolutely necessary. They are they shining example of the "Good ole boy" network.