Meijer surprised hundreds of customers and team members across the Midwest with more than $500,000 in holiday shopping sprees Saturday, during its annual Very Merry Meijer tradition.
"The holiday season changed so much throughout the ongoing pandemic, but the change we're most excited to see this season is our customers returning to their own family traditions as they prepare to gather again," Executive Chairman Hank Meijer said in a statement. We hope that our Very Merry Meijer tradition helps make their reunions even jollier.”
In addition to surprising a customer shopping inside each of its stores with a $1,000 gift card, the retailer expanded its tradition to also gift five pickup customers at each location with a $100 coupon for a future order.
The retailer surprised three team members in each of its stores with $200 gift cards to thank them for their efforts this holiday season.
In its eighth year, the Very Merry Meijer event continues to be a beloved tradition for the Meijer family and Meijer store directors, who relish the chance to brighten the holidays for unsuspecting customers, the retailer said. "This is one of my favorite parts of the holiday season," Lafayette, Indiana Meijer Store Director Amy Griffis said. "The look of shock and disbelief on a customer's face followed by tears of joy or laughter makes it one of the best days of the year.”
Kim and Deron Rutledge were shopping for their annual Toys for Tots donation when they were approached by Champaign, Illinois, Meijer Store Director Josh Kietzman and Food Night Clerk Johnathon Crain with the surprise $1,000 gift card. The Rutledge family immediately became emotional because this year's shopping trip was especially significant.
"We budget for this donation every year, and this year we had budgeted a bit more in honor of my late mother who recently passed," Kim Rutledge said. The Meijer team was so touched by their story that when Kietzman then turned to Crain to surprise him with a $200 gift card for his hard work this year, Crain immediately handed it to the Rutledges to add to their donation.
Thanks to the unexpected $1,200, the Rutledge family left the store with seven carts filled with toys, at least three times as much as last year's donation.
In total, the eight Very Merry Meijer events held since 2014 gifted more than 3,500 customers with more than $1.4 million in toys, clothes, electronics, groceries, and small appliances.
Related: Fresh Thyme Donation Benefits School-Based Program; Meijer Engages Team Members in Philanthropic Program.