H-E-B has a well-deserved reputation for being customer-focused. The Texas grocery retailer’s customers are fanatically loyal, and recent new store openings in North Texas have drawn thousands of folks who waited hours in line, sometimes overnight, for the chance to shop at Texas’ favorite grocery store.
H-E-B’s owned brands are part of the package that fuels customer loyalty. One of the newest offerings is Field & Future by H-E-B™, a new line of household, personal care and baby items that are made without harsh chemicals and are designed with the environment in mind. According to Caroline Reeve, who was integral to the brand and product’s development at H-E-B, Field & Future started with a simple question: What do our customers want and need?
“H-E-B has an internal Customer Insights group, and we pulled together several segments of our customers to find out what they really wanted to see on our shelves,” said Reeve. “Field & Future is one of the most customer-driven brands we’ve created. We responded directly to what our customers told us which was that they cared a great deal about the environment and opting for products that didn’t use certain ingredients. Our brand strategy is tied to our customers’ voices at every step.”
The result is more than 100 different products that make it easier for Texans to live more sustainably. From cleaning products to personal care items like shampoo and conditioner, baby diapers and more, Field & Future is providing affordable options to help Texans live greener with eco-friendly attributes like post-consumer recycled content or recyclable packaging, biodegradable formulas or plant-based ingredients.
Caroline Reeve, H-E-B Director of Own Brand | Drugstore, Beauty, General Merchandise, and Anne Brown, TPWF Executive Director
“We were really surprised at the results,” said Reeve. “We thought it would be fairly divided, and we were pleasantly surprised that Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation was by far the number one choice because of the personal relationship they had with nature in their own backyard. That made our decision really easy. Customers cast their vote and said, ‘We want to see you partner with Texas Parks and Wildlife.’ It was a no-brainer.”
The Field & Future partnership with Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation (TPWF) is supporting efforts such as coastal conservation along the Texas Gulf Coast, black bear restoration in West Texas, and the establishment of Palo Pinto Mountains State Park in North Texas, the state’s newest state park.
H-E-B’s Customer Insights group doesn’t rest on its laurels after a new product is launched. Ongoing conversations with customers help refine the product offerings and gauge other insights. One of the questions customers have been asked is what they think about the partnership with TPWF.
“Customer response to the partnership has been off the charts,” said Reeve. “We ask them what they think about the partnership and in learning about it, they want to buy everything. They often go on to share personal anecdotes and memories about how much they love our state parks and how important it is to preserve them. Of course, we love hearing that!”
There is more in store for customers who love the Field & Future line. In 2023, a Texas State Parks Limited Edition collection of products will be launched, featuring nature-inspired scents Hill Country Laurel and Big Bend Sage. And throughout the year, the brand will slowly be releasing even more product – expanded categories and new ones – that meet their customer’s needs.
Field & Future is one part of H-E-B’s Our Texas, Our Future commitment, which is the company’s promise to Texans to help conserve and protect Texas’ natural resources by making decisions that are sustainable and environmentally responsible – from how they source their products and manage food waste, to their investments in renewable energy and partnerships with local environmental organizations like TPWF.
Supporting the conservation of Texas’ wild spaces is one of the key components of H-E-B’s sustainability journey. H-E-B wants to ensure that all Texans can enjoy and experience the beauty of the outdoors, which is why they have partnered with TPWF as the presenting sponsor of the Texas State Parks Centennial Celebration with a $1 million donation.
“We are simply thrilled to be aligned with H-E-B through Field & Future, especially during this Centennial anniversary of our Texas State Parks,” said TPWF Executive Director Anne Brown. “H-E-B’s commitment to the environment through Our Texas, Our Future is having a huge impact, and we are grateful for this partnership that will impact Texas for generations to come.”
