How H-E-B became Texas' most beloved brand (2024) • Hacker News Board

Re: How H-E-B became Texas' most beloved brand (2024)

#11

Post by rottencupcakes » Sat, Jun 27, 2026, 2:49 PM UTC

MeetingsBrowser wrote: post #9

CommieBobDole wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've experienced the same thing except sed 's/HEB/Publix/g' This is probably just a 'Kroger vs nice supermarket' thing.

Kroger is one example. Most other stores in Texas had the same depressed skeleton crew feel, except for higher end options that cost 3x normal groceries. Same thing for Bucee’s compared to normal gas stations. Bucee’s popularity exploded by asking “what if we paid someone to clean the bathrooms at a gas station” and following the logical chain of thought from there. People like spending money at businesses that aren’…

Buc-ee’s ain’t cheap. But people pay it.

Re: How H-E-B became Texas' most beloved brand (2024)

#12

Post by doctorspazz » Sat, Jun 27, 2026, 2:53 PM UTC

HEB does a lot of great in house foods too. I don’t regret leaving Texas, but I really miss the fresh tortillas and tamales from HEB sometimes.

Re: How H-E-B became Texas' most beloved brand (2024)

#13

Post by cogman10 » Sat, Jun 27, 2026, 2:54 PM UTC

bell-cot wrote: post #2

> Perhaps the real question isn’t: Why does H-E-B do so many nice things for the state? But: Why aren’t more companies like H-E-B? > ... in this company’s nearly 120-year history, it’s remained family-owned and operated. It has been more than a century since the American legal system told publicly-owned companies "Don't Be Good" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dodge_v._Ford_Motor_Co .

> Why does H-E-B do so many nice things for the state? But: Why aren’t more companies like H-E-B?

Regardless any sort of legal principle, the fact is capitalism rewards exploitation. The more a company exploits, the more profit it can bring in. Whether that be worker or customer.

While it's not stated that way in business management courses, that's exactly how it's taught in a round about way. The entire business class is chasing after efficiency, how to do more with less. And their idols are the likes of Walmart who will shut down a store if anyone says "union" and who aggressively negotiates for tax breaks in every location where their stores go up.

But further, venture capitalists have learned that one of the most effective ways to extract capital is to purchase well respected brands and destroy their quality while sucking off every last bit of value before customers wise up to the impending death of a beloved brand (see Sears, KMart, and basically all of fast food at this point. Also, be prepared to see this in your vet, dentist, and retirement homes).

People make millions doing these awful things which is why they keep happening. It's simply a lot harder and less profitable to make a "good" company which makes good products and respects their customers. And if H-E-B ever sells to a 3rd party, exactly the same thing will happen to them in a heartbeat.

Re: How H-E-B became Texas' most beloved brand (2024)

#14

Post by chomp » Sat, Jun 27, 2026, 2:56 PM UTC

bell-cot wrote: post #2

> Perhaps the real question isn’t: Why does H-E-B do so many nice things for the state? But: Why aren’t more companies like H-E-B? > ... in this company’s nearly 120-year history, it’s remained family-owned and operated. It has been more than a century since the American legal system told publicly-owned companies "Don't Be Good" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dodge_v._Ford_Motor_Co .

I don’t think that ruling distills down that far. But I will grant you that if you’re leaving enough obvious money on the table, activist investors will come knocking.

Re: How H-E-B became Texas' most beloved brand (2024)

#15

Post by Arubis » Sat, Jun 27, 2026, 3:01 PM UTC

I lived in Dallas for about four years. There’s not a lot I miss, but I sure do miss Central Market (an HEB brand).

Re: How H-E-B became Texas' most beloved brand (2024)

#16

Post by MeetingsBrowser » Sat, Jun 27, 2026, 3:01 PM UTC

99954bb63ccc wrote: post #8

MeetingsBrowser wrote: post #4

The biggest difference I’ve noticed is HEB has plenty of employees who don’t seem depressed to be there. When I’ve been to HEB I see plenty of cashier lanes open, each with a cashier and bagger, people stocking aisles, a team behind the butcher and bakery counters, etc. By comparison, Kroger seems to try and have a skeleton crew at all times. Usually a single cashier, a self checkout supervisor, and a couple of peopl…

Yep. And they don't charge much of a premium to deliver this. I can buy things at HEB and not worry about them being expired/etc, even for grocery pickup. Kroger, afaict, _chooses_ the expiring/broken stuff if you do grocery pickup. Kroger is closer to me so I've given it several chances, but every time they seem to get me in a new way to get me with opened, expired, or damaged stuff, and I won't be bothered to estab…

> few businesses/people seem to grasp this and all think there is some magic "business hack" they can do while avoiding doing the core business thing well.

Unfortunately , it seems to work for Kroger.

As customers we hate it, but Kroger sells something like 20% of all groceries in the US, and HEB is a s small by comparison regional grocer

Re: How H-E-B became Texas' most beloved brand (2024)

#17

Post by asciimov » Sat, Jun 27, 2026, 3:02 PM UTC

My dad worked for HEB for 35 years. He never planned to stay there when he started in the late eighties, but they had better hours than his prior work as a photojournalist and treated him a whole lot better.

HEB believes that if you treat your employees right, that they will in turn treat their customers well.

As someone that has spent years living away from HEB they are just a great store to have access to. Better prices, store brands that are often better than national, and they usually have a good produce selection. When we moved to the San Antonio area a decade ago, having access to HEB again was one of the most exciting parts of the move.

Re: How H-E-B became Texas' most beloved brand (2024)

#18

Post by krapp » Sat, Jun 27, 2026, 3:02 PM UTC

doctorspazz wrote: post #12

HEB does a lot of great in house foods too. I don’t regret leaving Texas, but I really miss the fresh tortillas and tamales from HEB sometimes.

The HEB across the street from me took down their kitchen and installed a pizza oven and now they just sell pizzas. They're good pizzas but I do miss the Tex-Mex.

They still have an "Asian" market too but it's far too expensive for what it is, mostly sushi with various kind of goop drizzled on top.

Re: How H-E-B became Texas' most beloved brand (2024)

#19

Post by vajrabum » Sat, Jun 27, 2026, 3:02 PM UTC

I go to Texas to visit family and a visit or two to H-E-B is usually a part of that. They operate great stores, they treat their employees well (several family members have worked there) and they have great products. I love my local grocery store where I shop but H-E-B is pretty much next level.

Re: How H-E-B became Texas' most beloved brand (2024)

#20

Post by lysace » Sat, Jun 27, 2026, 3:08 PM UTC

I kind of enjoy grocery store/chain discussions on e.g. national subreddits because it's a way of engaging people normally not into economics, corporate structures and incentives and getting them to actually think about the topics.

Sweden: The dominant one is called ICA. Shared brand and supply chain. Stores are locally owned, typically 1, maybe 2 stores per owner. Store owners own a share of the centralized aspects. Customers generally prefer it, except for those on the (quite) left. It often becomes a political charged debate topic on a national level.

People do seem to at least eventually understand that local ownership is good since it translates into caring.

The charges from the left: a) Possibly valid: They have gotten too good/dominant, b) Just stupid: "They are ripping people off with their 2% profit margins".