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Wegmans facing boycotts for carrying Trump products
Syracuse Post Standard ^ | 2/17/17 | Geoff Herbert

Posted on 02/17/2017 5:55:22 AM PST by markomalley

Wegmans is consistently named one of the best companies to work for, recently scored the second-best corporate reputation in America, and has had a cult following among fans for years.

So why are customers suddenly threatening to boycott the Rochester-based grocery store chain?

The Democrat & Chronicle reports Wegmans is facing boycotts for carrying products with President Donald Trump's name on them. The company has 10 locations in Virginia that sell bottles from the Trump Winery in Charlottesville, Va., drawing the ire of the National Organization for Women and other groups.

"Certainly if Wegmans is carrying Trump wines, I personally will not shop there," Terry O'Neill, president of the nation's largest feminist organization, told the Washington Post.

"Events during Donald Trump's campaign made it clear that Eric Trump, the president of Trump Winery in Charlottesville, Virginia, shares the views of his father," the group Stop Trump Wine added. "Let's demonstrate through economic action that the residents and businesses of Charlottesville will not stand for the hatred espoused by Eric Trump and those like him."

Wegmans' Virginia stores sell 237 different wines from 58 wineries in the state. According to the D&C, President Trump purchased one of those wineries -- Kluge Estate Winery and Vineyard -- for $6.2 million in 2011 and gave it to his son, Eric, to run.

"I'm really interested in good real estate, not so much in wine," President Trump said at the time of the purchase. "This place had a $28 million mortgage on it, and I bought it for $6.2 million. It's a Trump deal!"

The winery's bottles have appeared in Wegmans since 2008, but have only recently become controversial since Trump's successful presidential run. Many businesses have faced criticism if they support Trump -- as Under Armour and Uber have recently learned -- or if they show any signs of opposition, like when the president attacked Nordstrom for dropping his daughter Ivanka Trump's clothing line.

One Virginia resident from Upstate New York, who declined to use her first or last name, told the Post that she's been a lifelong Wegmans fan but has started shopping elsewhere to avoid seeing bottles of Trump Blanc de Blanc and Trump Winery Chardonnay.

Jo Natale, vice president of media relations for Wegmans, told the newspaper that the company stocks products based on how well they sell, not politics.

"Our role as a retailer is to offer choice to our customers," she said.

"Individual shoppers who feel strongly about an issue can demonstrate their convictions by refusing to buy a product," Natale continued. "When enough people do the same, and sales of a product drop precipitously, we stop selling that product in favor of one that's in greater demand."

Nordstrom said its decision to remove Ivanka Trump's line was based on poor sales. Burlington Coat Factory, Sears and Kmart have also stopped selling some Trump products.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Politics/Elections; US: Virginia
KEYWORDS: boycott; boycotts; donaldtrump; stoptrumpwine; trumpbrand; trumpwine; trumpwinery; trumpwines; virginia; wegmans; wine; winery; wines
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Wegman's is one of the best grocery stores in the DMV area. They are family owned and carry a wide variety of high-quality products for fair, if not completely reasonable prices.

Of interest to FReepers, Wegman's was involved in dhimmitude incident a couple of years ago where a local store refused to decorate a cake for an ex-Muslim organization because it might offend Muslims. When their corporate headquarters was made aware of this, they promptly apologized to the ex-Muslim organization and did their cake for free.

1 posted on 02/17/2017 5:55:22 AM PST by markomalley
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To: markomalley

They’re gonna face a worse boycott if they DON’T carry it.

They need a press release stating they will not stop carrying a product because a small, but vocal minority disagree with the politics of a relative of the brand’s owner. It would be grossly unfair to that individual to judge her products by the politics of her blood relations.


2 posted on 02/17/2017 5:58:39 AM PST by Mr. Douglas (Best. Election. EVER!)
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To: markomalley

I can’t imagine boycotting a grocery store for carrying an “Obama” product while he was in office. Who cares? These people are truly cracked.


3 posted on 02/17/2017 5:58:50 AM PST by rightwingcrazy
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To: markomalley

Many people are just plain stupid. Sad, but true.


4 posted on 02/17/2017 6:01:48 AM PST by mulligan
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To: markomalley

I’ve been to a few different Wegman’s stores and I love ‘em - great selection and quality with fair prices. Unfortunately, the closest Wegman’s to me is in State College, PA, over an hour away. If it were closer, I’d shop there exclusively.


5 posted on 02/17/2017 6:01:49 AM PST by ManHunter (You can run, but you'll only die tired... Army snipers: Reach out and touch someone)
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To: rightwingcrazy

Obama never produced anything except ghost written books


6 posted on 02/17/2017 6:02:13 AM PST by silverleaf (Age takes a toll: Please have exact change)
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To: markomalley; All

Don’t drink - but I’m stopping there today and buying two bottles, maybe three.


7 posted on 02/17/2017 6:03:46 AM PST by areukiddingme1 (areukiddingme1 is a synonym for a Retired U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer and tired of liberal BS.))
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To: rightwingcrazy

And you can bet they’re lying their a** off....and still shopping at Wegmans. They simply cannot live without Mr. Wegmans store.


8 posted on 02/17/2017 6:05:01 AM PST by Sacajaweau
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To: ManHunter
I’ve been to a few different Wegman’s stores and I love ‘em - great selection and quality with fair prices. Unfortunately, the closest Wegman’s to me is in State College, PA, over an hour away. If it were closer, I’d shop there exclusively.

Here is Maryland, they don't sell wine at grocery stores, so I'm going to have to make a special trip down to the Kingstowne VA store (outside of Ft Belvoir) today to pick up a case of Trump Wine.

9 posted on 02/17/2017 6:07:38 AM PST by markomalley (Nothing emboldens the wicked so greatly as the lack of courage on the part of the good -- Leo XIII)
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To: markomalley

Ivanka’s is now #1 perfume on Amazon, for $30.
Joy Villa’s album went from #500,000 to #1 on Amazon.

Wegman’s: pull the wine from your shelf but offer it online across America.


10 posted on 02/17/2017 6:08:05 AM PST by polymuser (There's a yuuuge basket of deportables.)
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To: ManHunter

Agreed. Wegman’s is a great store. I have one opening near me soon and cannot wait.


11 posted on 02/17/2017 6:08:20 AM PST by onona (Keeping the faith will be our new directive for the republic !)
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To: markomalley

You know, that’s an excellent idea! I travel to the DC area frequently on business; I’ll have to do that myself.


12 posted on 02/17/2017 6:09:22 AM PST by ManHunter (You can run, but you'll only die tired... Army snipers: Reach out and touch someone)
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To: markomalley

We’re fortunate to have a Wegman’s in Mechanicsburg, PA. I shall make it a point to stop more frquently.


13 posted on 02/17/2017 6:12:40 AM PST by Tucker39 (In giving us The Christ, God gave us the ONE thing we desperately NEEDED; a Savior.)
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To: markomalley

You mean Wegman’s won’t have vermin in their stores anymore?

More WINNING!


14 posted on 02/17/2017 6:13:57 AM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks (Life was so much better before Hart-Cellar.)
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To: markomalley

I didn’t know Wegman was having issues. I love the grocery store but it is expensive. However, in war, you have to sacrifice and this is a great war to win. God Bless America. God Bless the Trump Family.


15 posted on 02/17/2017 6:14:32 AM PST by napscoordinator (Trump/Hunter, jr for President/Vice President 2016)
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To: napscoordinator

All the Democrats with no reportable income or on food stamps will boycott the store.


16 posted on 02/17/2017 6:23:05 AM PST by ActresponsiblyinVA
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To: markomalley
they promptly apologized to the ex-Muslim organization and did their cake for free.
On the other hand - a few years ago here in Rochester (Wegmans' home), they hired a Mooslimb cashier, then allowed her to post a sign asking customers NOT to use the Muslim’s checkout line if they had pork or alcohol. The local outrage was quick and loud, and although Wegmans moved her to another job, they suffered some serious negative PR.
17 posted on 02/17/2017 6:24:30 AM PST by oh8eleven (RVN '67-'68)
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To: markomalley

So why are customers suddenly threatening to boycott the Rochester-based grocery store chain?

************

Because they are immature and vindictive liberals.


18 posted on 02/17/2017 6:26:10 AM PST by Starboard
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To: markomalley; Behind Liberal Lines; The Mayor; lysie; Steely Tom

Boycotts of Wegmans?!?!?!

That stands a snowball’s chance in hell of having the least little impact on Wegmans.

I shop there ALL the time and will continue to do so.


19 posted on 02/17/2017 6:35:30 AM PST by metmom (...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith...)
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To: markomalley

Wegmans is fantastic, too bad they won’t open a store in South Florida.


20 posted on 02/17/2017 6:38:43 AM PST by Rome2000 (SMASH THE CPUSA-SIC SEMPER TYRANNIS-CLOSE ALL MOSQUES)
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