BELLINGHAM, WASH – Haggen Food and Pharmacy awarded produce sales manager Lee Reynolds the Passion for Produce Award, celebrating his 50 years of service in the grocery industry. Forty-five of those years have been with Haggen. The award was presented by Jerry Callahan, vice President of Produce for Albertsons, the parent company of Haggen.
Reynolds began his career in 1967 when he was still in high school in Renton, Washington, working at Mansfield Thriftway. He then worked for Albertsons in both Kent and Bellevue as the assistant produce manager. On August 7, 1972, Reynolds was hired as the produce manager at the Haggen on Meridian Street in Bellingham. He worked his way up at Haggen, eventually taking on the role of produce merchandiser. He has been the head of produce there since 1988.
“After five decades of service, Lee brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the Haggen produce department that is difficult to find in any industry,” said John Clougher, group vice president of Haggen. “We’ve come to rely on his business sense, his long-standing connections with local farmers, and his remarkable instincts to guide our stores’ selection. We applaud his incredible achievement. The fruits of his 50 years of labor are evident throughout all the Haggen stores.”
His relationships with local farmers go back to his first days with Haggen, and those connections have resulted in exclusive product launches and limited-run items. Reynolds made sure Haggen was first to market with PureHeart mini watermelons, Cotton Candy grapes, organic black seedless watermelon, Campari tomatoes, Opal apples, Honeycrisp apples and many more. His innovations included selling strawberries in bulk, taking tomatoes off the wet rack, and selling pre-bagged apples in netting.
Reynolds is a familiar face in Haggen stores, preferring a hands-on approach to running the departments. He is always on the go, visiting farmers, arranging for in-store tastings, and supporting his department managers.
“It’s inspiring to see Lee’s passion for the produce business and his genuine care for the farmers we work with,” said Mike Lobaugh, Director of Fresh at Haggen. “He’s clearly dedicated to making sure that the customers’ desires always come first, and that attitude motivates the entire Haggen produce team to put service first.”
Reynolds doesn’t have plans to retire just yet, saying, “I’m still enjoying myself doing what I do best, and working with some of the best people in the business. I’ll just take it one year at a time, until my wife tells me it’s time to quit.”
About Haggen
Founded in 1933 in Bellingham, Washington, Haggen has built its business on providing guests the freshest and most local products with genuine service, while supporting the communities it serves. Throughout more than eight decades in business, the company has supported regional farms, ranches, fisheries and other businesses, creating a lasting and sustainable food economy. For more information about Haggen, visit haggen.com.
Source: Haggen
