Farming Gives Retail Partner Unique Perspective on Running Stores

By: Save A Lot | 0 Shares 617 Reads

October 24, 2023 // Franchising.com // For Save A Lot Retail Partner Dwayne Goodwin, being on a farm feels like home. Growing up on one in Lynchburg, TN, Goodwin remembers the calmness that came with being outside and taking care of the animals. “Being on the farm for me really is therapeutic. Working with my hands to mow the fields, feed the cattle and clean stalls is my way of grounding myself.”

It’s Goodwin’s sense of calm leadership that his Save A Lot team most appreciates. “Dwayne is the kind of person everyone would want to work for,” said Rex Reese, store manager of Goodwin’s Anderson, SC store. “I’ve been working for him for 14 years and there is absolutely no other place I would want to be. When he comes into a store, it’s not just about pointing out what’s wrong and what’s right, it’s about connecting with people first and it makes a difference.”

Seeing people for who they are and not just someone who works in any of his five stores throughout South Carolina is something Goodwin said he learned from working on a farm as a kid. “So much about farming is about processes and procedures. You need to know the right things to do to keep your animals healthy and the farm thriving,” he said. “But there is another side of farming and that’s the human side. The people who work right alongside you day in and day out are also an important part of that. Everyone must work together to get the job done. We really are like family.”

Whether Goodwin is on his farm in Mauldin, SC raising Hereford Cattle or visiting his Save A Lot stores, that concept of family drives his commitment to excellence. With six girls of his own, ranging in ages from 28 to 6-years-old, Goodwin prides himself on being able to show them what hard work looks like with his farm and his stores.

“I love working alongside my girls, showing them how to do things. They aren’t afraid to get dirty and I love that about them,” Goodwin said. “They know what hard work looks like. Same goes for my store teams. I always say, ‘Take care of your people and let them take care of customers’.”

Taking care of his customers and bringing them high quality, affordable food was a key reason Goodwin decided to bring Certified Hereford beef into his stores earlier this month. Not only does Goodwin raise his own Hereford cattle, but he’s also the only retailer in South Carolina to bring Certified Hereford beef to his customers. “Anyone who tries Certified Hereford beef will love it. It’s really the gold standard of beef,” he said.

This new offering was something of a happy accident. In May 2023, Goodwin and his daughters were attending a meeting of the South Carolina Hereford Association to buy cattle for the farm. When the group learned that Goodwin owned five Save A Lot locations throughout South Carolina, they asked if he could help them get their beef into any of his stores, as they’d been trying to get it into grocery stores for nearly 50 years. Knowing he would be helping fellow farmers like himself, Goodwin worked with the Save A Lot team as well as the National American Hereford Association and Certified Hereford beef team to make it happen.

Now five months later, residents in any of Goodwin’s stores across South Carolina can enjoy Certified Hereford beef for themselves.

“Making this offering available to my customers is about more than just hoping they’ll try this beef,” Goodwin said. “It’s about opening doors and opportunities for other farmers. As a grocery owner, I am always asking myself, ‘How can I help the farmers?’ If providing this offering helps families continue to thrive, then I’ve done what I can as a Save A Lot Retail Partner to improve the communities where my stores operate and for that, I’m extremely humble and proud.”

About Save A Lot

Founded in 1977, Save A Lot is one of the largest discount grocery store chains in the U.S. with more than 800 stores in 32 states. Save A Lot remains true to its mission of being a hometown grocer, providing unmatched quality and value to local families. Customers enjoy significant savings compared to traditional grocery stores on great tasting, high quality private label brands, national brand products, USDA-inspected meat, farm-fresh fruits and vegetables, and other non-food items. For more information, visit SaveALot.com and follow Save A Lot on Facebook (facebook.com/savealot) and Instagram (@SaveALotFoodStores).

SOURCE Save A Lot

###