Case Study: Stater Bros. Markets achieves high employee loyalty and low turnover with O.C. Tanner recognition programs

Stater Bros. Markets - Customer Case Study

Stater Bros. Markets is a $4 billion, Fortune 500 supermarket chain with 167 stores and about 18,000 employees. Under CEO Jack H. Brown the company faced the challenge of maintaining service quality, low prices and community trust while keeping employee morale, loyalty and retention high—especially during economic downturns—so staff would remain engaged and deliver the customer experience that defines the brand.

Stater Bros. addressed this by building a family-oriented culture with visible leadership, career development (training, tuition reimbursement, internal promotion) and a long-running recognition program with O.C. Tanner that honors service milestones with pins and ceremonies. The results were measurable: no layoffs during the recession, new stores and a highly efficient distribution center (98% ship rate), low turnover (4.47% for full-time, 3% for the distribution center), 6,500 employees with 20+ years of service, rising customer counts and recognition as Consumer Reports’ #1 full‑service supermarket in Southern California.

Stater Bros. Markets

Jaime Santos

General Merchandise Clerk