Written by Jerry Golub, CEO
When I became CEO three years ago, it was not only an important moment in my life, but a milestone in the history of our company—the transition to a third generation of family leadership in a company that was founded 80 years ago by two brothers who aspired to make a difference in peoples’ lives. Ben (my grandfather) and Bill Golub led the company for 40 years, literally building something from nothing. Their sons, Lewis (my father) and Neil, led the company for another 40 years, building on their fathers’ vision. They grew the company significantly, and although we are still fairly small by industry standards, they set the stage for our success in a very competitive and constantly changing industry. We are proud to be one of few family-led companies that have made it to the third generation. This is a huge accomplishment and a testament to all of the talented and committed people who have made contributions along the way.
So now what?
Simply put, we honor our past and focus squarely on the future.
As many people know, we’re in the process of making a number of significant changes to ensure that our company meets the needs of our customers for years to come. I’ll write more about those changes in future blogs. But I’d be remiss if I didn’t begin by focusing on the context for these changes—why we’re even here to begin with.
Financial success is a goal of most businesses, and we are certainly no exception. However, I genuinely believe that a family-led business is uniquely positioned to make a difference in the world. It may sound corny, but part of what connects me to this company is knowing that we are guided by our founding brothers’ strong values and belief that we could make a difference in peoples’ lives.
One of the things I love about our business is that it touches nearly everyone. As a result, I have the advantage of hearing from lots of people about their experiences in our stores. I hear the good, the bad, and sometimes even the ugly. And frankly, the incredible connection we have to our customers’ lives never ceases to amaze me. We help families enjoy daily meals together. We also help them celebrate special occasions and gather together in times of need. We provide nutritious, fresh foods and information that helps people eat well and stay healthy. We help our customers meet their budgets for food and other important products. And so much more.
Through all these conversations, I’ve come to learn that we do make a difference in peoples’ lives and that our “higher purpose,” is to
help people feed and care for themselves and their families. Bigger than any one of us, our higher purpose is about our place in the world. It’s also something that every one of our teammates helps us accomplish every day. It’s one of the biggest reasons why I’m incredibly proud to be a part of this company, and more committed than ever to helping us achieve the vision that established this company eighty years ago. I don’t think there is a better way of honoring our past than incorporating it into our future.
Musical Inspiration
A higher purpose can be important to companies or individuals. James Taylor, whose music I’ve loved for decades, certainly felt that way when he wrote this song. The third verse makes me think of those wonderful summer night James Taylor concerts at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) over the years. By the way, James has been known to visit our store in Lenox, MA from time to time. 🙂
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxICxWu8vGs&list=PL0gxBcF2Ofh4QRU6FUNdy9BzLsdqGckH1
Written by Jerry Golub, CEO
When I became CEO three years ago, it was not only an important moment in my life, but a milestone in the history of our company—the transition to a third generation of family leadership in a company that was founded 80 years ago by two brothers who aspired to make a difference in peoples’ lives. Ben (my grandfather) and Bill Golub led the company for 40 years, literally building something from nothing. Their sons, Lewis (my father) and Neil, led the company for another 40 years, building on their fathers’ vision. They grew the company significantly, and although we are still fairly small by industry standards, they set the stage for our success in a very competitive and constantly changing industry. We are proud to be one of few family-led companies that have made it to the third generation. This is a huge accomplishment and a testament to all of the talented and committed people who have made contributions along the way.
So now what?
Simply put, we honor our past and focus squarely on the future.
As many people know, we’re in the process of making a number of significant changes to ensure that our company meets the needs of our customers for years to come. I’ll write more about those changes in future blogs. But I’d be remiss if I didn’t begin by focusing on the context for these changes—why we’re even here to begin with.
Financial success is a goal of most businesses, and we are certainly no exception. However, I genuinely believe that a family-led business is uniquely positioned to make a difference in the world. It may sound corny, but part of what connects me to this company is knowing that we are guided by our founding brothers’ strong values and belief that we could make a difference in peoples’ lives.
One of the things I love about our business is that it touches nearly everyone. As a result, I have the advantage of hearing from lots of people about their experiences in our stores. I hear the good, the bad, and sometimes even the ugly. And frankly, the incredible connection we have to our customers’ lives never ceases to amaze me. We help families enjoy daily meals together. We also help them celebrate special occasions and gather together in times of need. We provide nutritious, fresh foods and information that helps people eat well and stay healthy. We help our customers meet their budgets for food and other important products. And so much more.
Through all these conversations, I’ve come to learn that we do make a difference in peoples’ lives and that our “higher purpose,” is to help people feed and care for themselves and their families. Bigger than any one of us, our higher purpose is about our place in the world. It’s also something that every one of our teammates helps us accomplish every day. It’s one of the biggest reasons why I’m incredibly proud to be a part of this company, and more committed than ever to helping us achieve the vision that established this company eighty years ago. I don’t think there is a better way of honoring our past than incorporating it into our future.
Musical Inspiration
A higher purpose can be important to companies or individuals. James Taylor, whose music I’ve loved for decades, certainly felt that way when he wrote this song. The third verse makes me think of those wonderful summer night James Taylor concerts at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) over the years. By the way, James has been known to visit our store in Lenox, MA from time to time. 🙂
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxICxWu8vGs&list=PL0gxBcF2Ofh4QRU6FUNdy9BzLsdqGckH1 
