A Message from Island Pacific Supermarket Founder Nino Jefferson Lim

WALNUT, Calif., March 24, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --

To Our Valued Customers,

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic has brought rows of empty grocery shelves and product shortages in most supermarkets. We are extremely proud that Island Pacific Supermarket has been able to replenish our shelves daily in most of the major product categories in order to better serve our communities. This remarkable feat of walking into a well-stocked Island Pacific was only made possible through the hard work and dedication of our grocers who have been working around the clock, sanitizing the stores, receiving products, merchandising empty shelves, and fixing major disruptions in our supply-chain.

Since the advent of the COVID-19 Pandemic we have made the health and safety of our customers, employees, and our community our top priority. We were one of the first in the industry to deploy a public service advertising campaign in all our supermarkets to reinforce preventive measures to help limit the spread of COVID-19. We have dedicated the first hour of shopping time exclusively for our Seniors 60+, expectant mothers, person with disabilities, medical professionals/frontliners, and/or persons with compromised immune systems. We also immediately increased our inventory level and have pledged honest pricing to deter price gouging as widely reported in other markets.

As an essential part of our community, let me share with you some of the challenges we are currently facing. Our staff have been working extremely long hours and are very exhausted. All of us are exposed to thousands of customers daily and have an elevated risk of contracting the virus. We all have families and when we get home, our families are also placed at risk because of our daily exposure in the supermarkets. The COVID-19 Pandemic have also caused state-wide cancellation of schools, so several of us must manage our work and at the same time be able to take care of our children at home. Lastly, as retailers we are at the end of the food distribution channel and we have observed that due to the unnecessary panic buying some of the cost of commodities have been increasing, which makes it more difficult for us to maintain the everyday low prices we are known for to our customers.

Since we are all in this together, here is how you can help us with these challenges. Stay at home if you are sick or even if you think you might be sick. If you are in excellent condition and decide to shop at any grocery store, be mindful in practicing social distancing and ceaselessly sanitize your hands. If you are one of the thousands that have been recently unemployed and are in good health, we are looking for associates that are eager to serve their community. Please immediately apply at www.islandpacificmarket.com/careers/. And to help us control the rising commodity prices, buy only what you need since panic buying will create further panic and results in shortages. There is more than enough food in the supply chain if everyone would only buy what they need!

As a final request, whenever you meet a grocer, please let them know how much they are appreciated. While we consider as heroes our fire fighters, paramedics, police officers, and military personnel, now is the time that our community can also recognize our grocers who risks their health and safety in order to serve us in the supermarkets. Thank you for your continued support of Island Pacific and it's been an honor and a privilege to be able to serve all of you.

Sincerely,

Nino Jefferson Lim
Founder of Island Pacific Supermarket
www.islandpacificmarket.com

Island Pacific is supermarket chain dedicated to promoting Filipino Food and Seafood to the rest of the world. It is headquartered in Walnut, California and currently has 16 supermarket branches serving communities in California and Las Vegas.

SOURCE Island Pacific Market