Meijer plans first-ever Sustainability Supplier Summit

Supercenter retailer Meijer aims to boost its mix of eco-friendly offerings by hosting its first Sustainability Supplier Summit, a virtual vendor showcase of sustainable products.

Plans call for the summit to run June 20 to 23, Grand Rapids, Mich.-based Meijer said this week. To hold the online event, Meijer plans to use Efficient Collaborative Retail Marketing’s RangeMe product discovery tool and ECRM Connect virtual platform, which will enable the retailer’s merchants to view items from food to pets to home goods to consider selling on shelves.

The Meijer Sustainability Summit will focus on adding sustainable products from categories storewide. Meijer said its merchants will target 38 sustainability-related certifications on vendor products or their manufacturing and procurement processes. For instance, the company said, seafood merchants will seek suppliers adhering to Best Aquaculture Practices, while its toy merchants will be looking for vendors with Ecologo certifications to ensure products are made without harmful chemicals. In addition, Meijer’s grocery and consumable merchants will seek vendors participating in the Rainforest Alliance Certification Program, which validates standards on forests, climate, human rights and livelihoods.

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“At Meijer, we understand that to be a good company, we must be a good neighbor, which is why we integrate environmental sustainability into our daily operations,” Peter Whitsett, executive vice president of merchandising and marketing at Meijer, said in a statement. “But so much of what we do in this space extends beyond what customers see on our shelves, which was why we felt it was time to seek out sustainability-focused vendors to help us expand our significant base of sustainable product offerings.”

In 2021, Meijer launched its first sustainable own-brand clothing lines made from recycled polyester and 100% organic cotton.

Meijer noted that the summit comes after a recent survey it conducted found that environmental issues such as company commitment to sustainable sourcing and products were important to customers.

Katy Petzak, dog supplies merchant at Meijer, reported that she will be looking for products with sustainable packaging; cleaner and fewer ingredients; and recycled content in dog toys, leashes and collars in the virtual summit.

“We know an increasing number of consumers are shopping consciously to live a more sustainable lifestyle, which filters down to their pets,” Petzak explained. “We’ve made great strides to carry the products our customers are looking for to meet their lifestyles, and while we are doing great in the sustainability space, we are optimistic this event will be a success.”

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Certified vendors with retail-ready products can apply to showcase their products in the Meijer Sustainability Supplier Summit by April 26. Upon receiving supplier applications, Meijer teams will review and select vendors they would like to meet at the virtual summit. Suppliers not chosen for the summit will still be accessible through the RangeMe registration tool and may be reviewed by Meijer merchants at another time, the company added.

Meijer highlights the efforts behind its base of thousands of sustainable, clean products on the Better Products page on its website. That includes initiatives for locally sourced items, sustainable packaging, the True Goodness better-for-you own brand, sustainable seafood and pollinator health.

The company said that in 2021 it launched its first sustainable own-brand clothing lines made from recycled polyester and 100% organic cotton. Half of the MTA Sport assortment in men’s, women’s and children’s, as well as half of the men’s Lake & Trail line, is made with at least 30% recycled polyester. Also, The Lullaby Lane made with Organic Cotton collection for infants is OEKO TEX and Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) Certified, which means textiles are free from harmful chemicals and ensure organic status.

Overall, Meijer operates 258 supercenters and grocery stores in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin.