In 1930, Charles Hyde and David Vredenburg opened a small general store in Beaconsfield, Iowa. That store grew to become Hy-Vee a company known for excellent service and reasonable prices. As an employee-owned company, Hy-Vee encourages each of its more than 82,000 employees to help guide the company. Its 85 years of outstanding success is a testament to those employees hard work and dedication to the vision of its founders. Today, Hy-Vee is synonymous with quality, variety, value and superior customer service. Its slogan, "A Helpful Smile in Every Aisle," expresses the foundation of the companys operating philosophy.

Hy-Vee is a touchstone for its customers desire for information on diet, nutrition and wellness topics. The companys commitment to healthy lifestyles is evidenced by ever-growing HealthMarket departments featuring natural and organic products, the consulting services of in-store dietitians and chefs, and consumer and employee wellness programs. The company also sponsors the annual Hy-Vee Road Races during Drake Relays weekend and five Hy-Vee Pinky Swear Kids Triathlons across the Midwest that raise money for children with cancer and their families.

With sales of $9.3 billion annually, Hy-Vee ranks among the top 25 supermarket chains and the top 50 private companies in the United States. Its more than 240 stores are located in eight Midwestern states: Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Distribution centers are in Chariton, Iowa, and Cherokee, Iowa, with a third perishable operation in Ankeny, Iowa. Hy-Vees corporate office is located in West Des Moines, Iowa.