For today’s #TinaTuesday I had the opportunity to visit with Jason and Kathy Olson at their Grocery Outlet store.  Jason and Kathy have owned this Pleasant Hill Grocery Outlet since 2011, and as a matter of fact, November 28^th will be their 6 year Anniversary here.  What amazes me week after week is what I am learning about our business members that I never knew before.  So let me share with you all that I learned about Jason and Kathy and Grocery Outlet Bargain Market. 
 
There are 300 Grocery Outlet stores across 6 states, each independently owned and operated, except for 2 which are owned and operated by Grocery Outlet.  Grocery Outlet Bargain Market is one of the largest extreme-value grocery retailers in the United States. They provide name-brand grocery items at up to 60% off conventional grocery store retail prices, with almost $2 billion in annual gross sales. They offer a unique business opportunity for aspiring entrepreneurs, skilled grocery, retail, and food service veterans to operate a Grocery Outlet Bargain Market independently under a license from them. 
 
Basically, Grocery Outlet finds great name-brand products at dimes on the dollar from suppliers who find themselves with overruns, surplus inventories, repackaged products and perishable foods. Companies call Grocery Outlet when they have excess inventory, cancelled orders from other retailers or packaging changes.  Sometimes, a company will even test a new product in their stores.  And, they never acquire expired items!   They currently have over 5000 items for sale in their Pleasant Hill location (who knew?).   They have EVERYTHING from fresh produce, breads, meats, health, beauty, beer, wine, and even an Organic and specialty items (like gluten free foods) section.
 
Here are a few more things you may not have known about Jason and Kathy and Grocery Outlet

• Jason and Kathy have been married for 23 years and have 3 kids
• Jason was an MP in the Marine Corp many moons ago, so don’t mess with him.
• Jason was on the Board at a Chamber of Commerce in Washington where they lived before moving to California.  Sign him up Steve! 😉
• Twice a year they have a 20% off sale on all of their wines, Pre-Easter and Pre-Thanksgiving (which we just missed, darn it).  This year they ranked 11^th out of the 300 stores, in total wine sales during this 20% off sale.  Better get on their mailing list or follow them on Facebook so you don’t miss the next one.
• One of their hobbies is Wine, and Jason even has a wine section called “Jason’s Picks.”
• Jason and Kathy are a training store where they train future independent operators who want to own their own Grocery Outlet. 
• Grocery Outlet started a foundation (Touching Lives Foundation) that raises money for employees that may be going through a crisis in their lives and don’t have the funds to deal with it.  Jason and Kathy sit on the board of that foundation.

To be honest with you, I haven’t shopped at Grocery Outlet before and I don’t really know why.  As I was walking around the store with Jason, I saw all of the things I normally buy at other big name box stores (same brand and everything), at a jaw dropping much lower price.  I guess you can say that I drank the Kool-Aid while I was there, and from now on will be doing a majority of my shopping there.  Thank you Jason and Kathy for taking the time to let me in on all the great things that Grocery Outlet has, is, and does for their communities.  And thank you for all of your involvement in our Pleasant Hill Community where you make a huge difference with all of the organizations to which you belong.  If you’re interested in starting your own Grocery Outlet you can visit… www.ownagroceryoutlet.com.  Also, you can follow the Pleasant Hill Grocery Outlet on Facebook at… https://www.facebook.com/pleasanthillgroceryoutlet