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H-E-B scales back operations in winter storm-ravaged Texas

Power, water outages force temporary store closures, reduced hours

Russell Redman

February 18, 2021

3 Min Read
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H-E-B said it's conserving energy across its stores and operations to help preserve the power grid in Texas.H-E-B

Texas grocer H-E-B is temporarily closing some stores and reducing hours of operation as the state grapples with ongoing power outages and water shortages from historically cold temperatures brought by Winter Storm Uri.

San Antonio-based H-E-B said Thursday that stores throughout its market — which stretches across northwestern, central, eastern and southern Texas — are opening later and closing earlier, including locations in greater Houston, the North East region, the Gulf Coast, Austin and Central Texas, and San Antonio and Hill Country, among other areas. Most stores are opening at 9 or 10 a.m. and closing around 5 to 7 p.m. Pharmacies will be open based on store hours.

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Store hours can be adjusted at any time, according to local conditions, H-E-B noted.

Stores shut as of midday Feb. 18 include four H-E-B locations in Austin and Central Texas, four H-E-Bs in the San Antonio and Hill Country areas (plus three pharmacies), and two Central Market stores in Southlake and Austin.

Millions of Texans have lacked electrical power for nearly four days as Uri caused record cold temperatures — down to the single digits, with wind chills below zero — that crashed the state’s power grid and forced rolling blackouts. At the same time, the historically unheard-of temperatures for the region froze water pipes, cutting off much of the water supply and creating safety issues that compelled many people to boil water or snow for drinking and cooking water.

Related:Walmart temporarily closes hundreds of stores due to brutal winter storms

The disaster has paralyzed businesses and daily life in the state, with people searching for places to keep warm and seeking out dwindling supplies of food, bottled water and fuel.

“In the spirit of Texans helping Texans, H-E-B has prioritized conserving energy across our business to help preserve the energy grid in Texas. From our manufacturing facilities to our stores and administrative offices, we’ve drastically reduced all non-essential power, such as lighting and HVAC set points. Additionally, when facilities are closed, we’ve also turned off all non-essential power,” H-E-B stated Thursday in a winter storm update.

“H-E-B will temporarily modify hours of operation for some locations. At any time, store hours could be adjusted according to operations ability,” the company noted, adding that its news website will provide real-time updates of store openings and closures due to power and water loss.

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Supply chain disruptions have impacted product assortments and required purchase limits at some locations, H-E-B reported.

Describing Uri as an “unprecedented weather event in Texas,” H-E-B said the storm triggered a “severe disruption” in the food supply chain, exacerbated by power and water issues.

“For H-E-B, this means temporary impacts to manufacturing, warehousing, store operations, and the daily lives of our partners and their families,” the company explained in the update. “Our partners are doing the best they can to assist our customers during this time. Many of our stores are operating on shortened hours and with a limited team of partners who are able to safely get to our stores to assist our customers. We understand this has been a difficult time and are working to get back to normal as soon as possible.”

In turn, product assortment at stores “will be limited for a few days,” and purchase limits have been placed some products to help ensure access to essential items, H-E-B reported. “We’re working around the clock to get more product to stores,” the company added.

Customers also are being urged to bring their own shopping bags to the store because grocery bag inventory is running low at some locations, H-E-B said. The retailer, too, is closing the H-E-B and Favor senior support phone line for Feb. 18 and 19.

Online grocery service has been suspended as well. “Curbside and home delivery orders have been cancelled because we are not able to fulfill orders the way customers would expect us to,” H-E-B stated. “We will resume curbside and home delivery operations as soon as possible.”

Overall, H-E-B operates more than 400 stores, including over 350 in Texas and around 50 in northeastern Mexico.

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About the Author

Russell Redman

Senior Editor
Supermarket News

Russell Redman has served as senior editor at Supermarket News since April 2018, his second tour with the publication. In his current role, he handles daily news coverage for the SN website and contributes news and features for the print magazine, as well as participates in special projects, podcasts and webinars and attends industry events. Russ joined SN from Racher Press Inc.’s Chain Drug Review and Mass Market Retailers magazines, where he served as desk/online editor for more than nine years, covering the food/drug/mass retail sector. 

Russell Redman’s more than 30 years of experience in journalism span a range of editorial manager, editor, reporter/writer and digital roles at a variety of publications and websites covering a breadth of industries, including retailing, pharmacy/health care, IT, digital home, financial technology, financial services, real estate/commercial property, pro audio/video and film. He started his career in 1989 as a local news reporter and editor, covering community news and politics in Long Island, N.Y. His background also includes an earlier stint at Supermarket News as center store editor and then financial editor in the mid-1990s. Russ holds a B.A. in journalism (minor in political science) from Hofstra University, where he also earned a certificate in digital/social media marketing in November 2016.

Russell Redman’s experience:

Supermarket News - Informa
Senior Editor 
April 2018 - present

Chain Drug Review/Mass Market Retailers - Racher Press
Desk/Online Editor 
Sept. 2008 - March 2018

CRN magazine - CMP Media
Managing Editor
May 2000 - June 2007

Bank Systems & Technology - Miller Freeman
Executive Editor/Managing Editor
Dec. 1996 - May 2000

Supermarket News - Fairchild Publications
Financial Editor/Associate Editor
April 1995 - Dec. 1996 

Shopping Centers Today Magazine - ICSC 
Desk Editor/Assistant Editor
Dec. 1992 - April 1995

Testa Communications
Assistant Editor/Contributing Editor (Music & Sound Retailer, Post, Producer, Sound & Communications and DJ Times magazines)
Jan. 1991 - Dec. 1992 

American Banker/Bond Buyer
Copy Editor
Oct. 1990 - Jan. 1991 

This Week newspaper - Chanry Communications
Reporter/Editor
May 1989 - July 1990

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