by Euell Mendez
There are too many aspects and points of view to the phrase “living well.”
Whether its physical or mental health, social connections, or even financial stability. We all have some way of perceiving the idea of a fulfilling and meaningful life, and what steps to take towards reaching it.
It should not be about achieving perfection. It should be a journey that is about your individual values, circumstances, and aspirations while finding balance and contentment in all aspects of one’s life.
Ultimately, I believe the phrase “living well” is about taking action to live a life that is meaningful, fulfilling, and true to yourself.
United Market Street’s Living Well Department values this ideal, striving to put our customer’s needs first when it comes to providing the necessary products and supplements. This inspiration is shown every day by Jamie Brown, the head of the Living Well Grocery Department at a newly opened Market Street.
“The Living Well Grocery department is a subset of grocery proper, or “center store” in The United Family corporation. I have been part of Living Well Grocery for about 18 months, but I have been ingrained in the mentality and lifestyle of Living Well for the last 16 years.” says Brown.
Jamie underwent a life changing experience that altered the way she had chosen to previously live her life, targeting her dietary health and her nutritional choices.
She began a new journey to truly embody and live the concept of “living well.”
“16 years ago, I had an infant reliant on my body for all her nutrition, and when I ingested dairy products, it made her violently ill for weeks. My eyes were opened to an entirely different world, discovering how food can be both medicine, and poison.”
“On this journey I discovered my lifelong serious allergies and propensity towards illness, were a direct result of how my immune system interprets certain food proteins. I discovered my own mother’s Celiac disease and subsequent reactions to gluten in myself, my children, and multiple family members.” says Brown.
She realized how important the aspects of United’s Living Well Dept. were to its community of people who had a similar life altering experience as she had.
Living this specific dietary life opened a new perspective for Brown as she could begin to understand the conflicts and endeavors of our department shopper’s everyday lives.
“16 years ago, it was no simple thing to go to the grocery store and find safe foods. The selection and labeling then were nothing compared to what they are today. I understand firsthand the desperate feeling of a parent scouring ingredient labels to find a snack they can send with their child on a field trip, when the provided “sack lunch” would cause a devastating reaction.” Brown adds.
“When I chose to move from Night Manager in our 24 hour location to daytime shifts, I knew exactly where I not only wanted, but needed to be; Living Well Grocery, because I have a very personal and vested interest in not only maintaining the allergen friendly choices within The United Family of stores, but the drive to see it grow beyond what it is.”
Our shoppers may not always have access to the products they need, or specific ingredients included in their diets as a large portion of their chosen consumables can be more difficult to procure over generic brands and common processed foods.
This is why the Living Well Dept. strives to meet every customer’s expectation. There are days where there is no other option for people, so we provide as many products as we can.
The Living Well community’s overall growth has steadily increased with current and future shoppers exploring a healthier lifestyle whether by choice, or due to health-related restrictions on their diet.
“The goal of Living Well Grocery is to create a one-stop shopping experience for families like mine. I no longer have to go to 6 different grocery and health food locations each week just to survive with our restrictions. I can go to my own Market Street and get absolutely everything I need. The time savings is invaluable, but also knowing the cost is competitive, if not better, makes it easy to trust where my money goes. This lifestyle is expensive, and families like mine make significant sacrifices in order to live this way.” Brown explains.
United stores all over provide a variety of specific products, with Living Well’s products averaging 7% of sales from the companies’ Hybrid and West Texas United stores, according to a 2017 sales report by Supermarket News.
Although the United company strives to exceed its profitable expectations, its focus remains intently on its shoppers.
Continuously following its mission statement:
Ultimate Service, Superior Performance, and Positive Impact!
Our goal is to display our store & our department’s dependability, our ability to provide where other retailer’s fail, and to spread awareness of the living well lifestyle and its benefits to all consumers. Building a belonging as we are committed to creating a healthy future for our United Family.
“The Living Well Grocery department is not about sales dollars as much as it is about filling a need in the community. When we fill that need, it leads to exponential growth for the company as well as that community. It’s a beautiful thing, and I love having a part in it.” Brown says.
“It’s a personal mission with deep meaning, and every time I get the privilege of helping a mother and join her in tears of joy at finding a safe food, that personal mission grows just a little more.”
If you’re interested in finding out more about the United company, getting involved with our team, or feeling prepared to start your own “living well” journey, visit https://theunitedfamily.com or https://www.unitedsupermarkets.com/dietician-visits for more information.
We welcome you to our United Family! And remember,
Eat fresh, Live Well!
United Living Well Family 
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