NEWS RELEASE

Defense Commissary Agency

Corporate Communications

1300 E Avenue, Fort Lee, VA 23801-1800

Tel:  (804) 734-8000, Ext. 8-6105  DSN: 687-8000, Ext. 8-6105 

FAX: (804) 734-8248  DSN: 687-8248

www.commissaries.com

Release Number:        05-23                                                                                                                        

Date:                              January 19, 2023

Media Contact:           Kevin L. Robinson, public affairs specialist

Tel.:                               (804) 734-8000, Ext. 4-8773

E-mail:                         kevin.robinson@deca.mil

Fit for 2023

Your commissary offers nutritious choices, quick meal solutions, wellness resources to align with your fitness goals

By Kathy Milley,

DeCA public affairs specialist

Facebook-friendly version: Feeling like you’re up to your chin in sugar cookies and extravagant holiday feasts? Ready to climb out of the snack wagon? Well January’s here and we suddenly start making impossible demands of ourselves. In order to stay true to our resolutions, say longer than a month, we need to keep it easy. Your commissary is the simple solution to help you recover from the holidays and stick with it until the next holiday season. To read the rest of the story on the DeCA website, click here. To download a DeCA graphic on DVIDS, click here. To download a USDA graphic, click here.

FORT LEE, Va. – Feeling like you’re up to your chin in sugar cookies and extravagant holiday feasts? Ready to climb out of the snack wagon? Well January’s here and we suddenly start making impossible demands of ourselves. In order to stay true to our resolutions, say longer than a month, we need to keep it easy.

Your commissary is the simple solution to help you recover from the holidays and stick with it until the next holiday season. That’s the message from Deborah Harris, the Defense Commissary Agency’s dietitian and health and wellness program manager. She holds a master of Public Health degree and is a registered dietitian and certified diabetes care and education specialist.

When committing to a healthier lifestyle and wellness goals, Harris says the commissary strives to keep patrons motivated by offering the following easily identifiable high-performance foods and easy-to-use, quick meal solutions and wellness resources:

• Dietitian-Approved Thumb (DAT): The “Thumbs Up Dietitian-Approved” tags on shelves makes it easy for patrons to quickly identify high-nutrition, quality foods to incorporate into a healthy eating pattern. DAT uses unique software that analyzes and identifies products in most of the commissary food categories based on up to 86 of the FDA-defined health attributes. These attributes can drive better shopping selections throughout the store by calling out items with limited added sugar, sodium and unhealthy fat while offering whole grains, healthy fats, fiber or lean protein as well as identify items that qualify as USDA Organic. Once these products are identified, they are labeled on the commissary shelves with a “Thumbs Up Dietitian-Approved” tag.
• “Thinking Outside the Box” recipes: Preparing nutritious food at home does not have to be difficult or expensive. With “Thinking Outside the Box” recipes, your commissary continually offers meal solutions that are quick, healthy and economical with ingredients typically offered at enhanced savings to our customers. The recipes are always accessible on commissaries.com under the “Healthy Living” tab. This library features quick and easy, dietitian-approved recipes for appetizers, entrees, salads, side dishes and even desserts.
• Commissary CLICK2GO: Use Commissary CLICK2GO, the commissary’s online ordering service, to instantly add the ingredients of your favorite dietitian-approved recipe to your virtual grocery cart. When doing your Commissary CLICK2GO ordering on Commissaries.com, click on the Recipe link, select the recipe you would like to add to your meal plan for the week and simply click the “Add to Cart” button beside each of the ingredients you need to prepare the meal. Preparing nutritious food at home has never been easier.
• Mobile App: Download DeCA’s new mobile app to access the commissary’s website programs like Commissary CLICK2GO online payment and curbside pickup, digital coupons, the sales flyer, dietitian-approved recipes, healthy living resources and much more. The mobile app is free for download through the Google Play and IOS app stores, offering our patrons more convenience and flexibility when using their commissary benefit – wherever they are.
• Fueling stations: The Dietitian-Approved Fueling Stations, located near the front-end checkout aisles in over 170 commissaries, offer tasty, nutritious meals and snacks to give patrons the convenience they need without the high-calories or high-cost of a fast food restaurant meal. Customers can expect to see products that offer protein, healthy fat, complex carbohydrates and a low-calorie form of hydration like low-calorie flavored waters and sports drinks, deli sandwiches, single-serving hummus, ready-to-eat lean protein, fruits and cheese, no-added-sugar yogurts, low-sugar protein bars, or prepared sliced fruits and salads.
• Quick home-cooked meals: Lack of time shouldn’t prevent patrons from preparing nutritious home-cooked meals. DeCA has prepared a list of no-fuss entrées chosen from the many dietitian-approved “Thinking Outside the Box” recipes featured on commissaries.com. The list is designed to minimize preparation time with quick and easy meal solutions featuring ingredients that will save money at the commissary. It features links to quick-prep recipes using a slow cooker, microwave or pressure cooker; make-ahead freezer meals; and one-skillet meals and entrees using prepared protein like rotisserie chicken and canned tuna.
• Meal planning: To take the work out of meal planning, DeCA has created two dietitian-approved dinner menu plans including weekly shopping lists, each for an entire month of family meals. These monthly menu plans are available on commissaries.com at these links: Meal Plan #1 and Meal Plan #2. Choose your preferred plan and simply print off the shopping list for the week, add breakfast and lunch items and your shopping list is ready. You will have everything you need for the week. If you would like to create your own menu plan tailoring it to your family’s preferences, use our easy-to-follow planning aids, the Dietitian-Approved Menu Planner and the Weekly Meal Plan Worksheet.

“We offer our patrons easy solutions to maintain a nutritious diet,” said Bonita Moffett, DeCA’s sales director. “We work diligently to provide the right mix of products and resources to support their wellness objectives all while saving big at the checkout. Using these commissary resources will make their New Year’s resolutions something they can stick to.”

-DeCA-

Don’t discount your grocery store as a place to buy gifts. Especially stocking stuffers! There are so many treats for family members of all ages. The military commissary, with its unique selection from produce to the well-stocked international aisle, will help you fill your stockings, all while you are doing your grocery shopping.  

1. – Chocolates – From dark to milk chocolate, or shaped chocolates in Nutcrackers or oranges, there are many options to choose from.
2. – Hot chocolate – these will be used throughout the winter months, so fun to have on hand
3. – Gum – whether you are traveling over the mountains and through the woods and will need something to pop your ears, grab some gum. Just remember, this isn’t for small children.
4. – Jams and Jellies – from your typical favorites to unique holiday ones like fig, hot pepper, or Meyer lemon jams and jellies
5. – Spice mixes – the international aisle has a bounty of spice mixes. Try a curry mix or even an enchilada spice mix. It is a fun way to explore new flavors while gifting to your family and friends.
6. – Jarred specialties – Roasted Red Pepper, sun-dried tomatoes
7. – Dip Mix – If your family or friend loves ranch dip or fried onion mix, grab some to put in the stocking!
8. – Pretzels
9. – Trail Mix
10. – Baking mixes – consider Yorkshire pudding or schnitzel mix from the international aisle.
11. – Sunflower Seeds
12. – Unique candies – Check out the holiday endcaps for holiday candies from around the world or specialty candies. Shaped peanut butter cups or animal-shaped marzipans are fun and wonderful treats to behold in the stocking.
13. – Canned juices – Canned means it won’t break if someone grabs the stocking quickly and is shelf stable, so it won’t spoil over time. Mango juice or pineapple-orange juice is fun, and you can drink the morning of while enjoying the holiday fun!
14. – Popcorn
15. – Popcorn seasonings
16. – Dried fruit – mango, papaya, figs, pineapple, and so many more.
17. – Nuts – salted or coated in sugar or honey; these protein power snacks come in bags, canisters, or even small tins.
18. – Jerky – spicy, or traditional, beef or turkey – these shelf-stable snacks are great for throughout the year.
19. – Coffee
20. – Tea
21. – Electric toothbrush – the grocery store isn’t just for foodstuffs, and an electric toothbrush can entice and encourage young children into brushing their teeth.
22. – Facial mask – a fun nod to a spa day at home, and who couldn’t use a spa moment after the busy schedules of the holidays
23. – Don’t forget an orange!

Get your grocery shopping AND some holiday shopping done at once. Yup! All about the multi-tasking errand while providing nutritious and fun treats for the stocking. Better yet

Pocketbooks and bank accounts world-wide have felt the increase in the cost of living. Groceries are not immune to this increase in cost. The DOD announced an initiative to support military families in many ways to aid in the financial impact of inflation. The Defense Commissary Agency, DeCA, has announced its plan to help lower grocery bills for military members shopping at the military commissary.

The goal of DeCA is to provide at least 25% in overall savings as compared to other grocery stores for those eligible to shop at the commissaries with the additional funding. “The department’s added investment in our budget allows us to reduce commissary prices at the register about 3-5% on most items — particularly on food staples that struggling military families need most such as bread, eggs, milk and more,” Bill Moore, director and CEO of the Defense Commissary Agency, said.

The price differences are expected to hit before the holidays. Per ABC7LA, the cost of Thanksgiving meal will increase significantly this year, so a plan for savings before the holidays will help keep the cost of this traditional meal down. Per ABC7LA, the cost of frozen turkeys is up 32% in 2022 as compared to 2021, and butter and eggs prices are up more than 30%, with potatoes, sugar, and bakery products up 15%-17%.

The commissary specifically highlights three areas to assist in their “We’re Stronger Together” program:

1. Promotion sales with bi-weekly flyers
2. Better prices on popular and core items
3. Healthy options with dietitian-approved recipes, meal plans and economical meal options

In addition, the commissary is rolling out new initiatives to provide increased availability to its patrons:

1. Expanded hours of operation. It is noted that 56 stores have converted from six-day operation to seven-day operation, and seven stores moved from a five-day operation schedule to six-day operation schedule. In addition, 43 stores adjusted their hours per the community preferences.
2. Working with military installations to pilot a bulk delivery program to barracks
3. Expand online and curbside pickup grocery options
4. Expand the grocery delivery program from the piloted 8 locations to the DeCA-wide

Twenty-five percent isn’t anything to laugh at. With grocery bills averaging $200-$300 per trip, that’s $50 to $75 in savings. That’s about 5 military-style haircuts! Savings in one area of the budget is a savings overall.

FORT LEE, Va. – Once upon a time, a number of commissaries had small branch stores that allowed customers to conveniently phone in their orders, drive up to that facility and pick up their groceries.

It wasn’t quite Commissary CLICK2GO, but it was a precursor of things to come.

“When you look back into the history of military commissaries it’s amazing to see the roots of services like the curbside pickup we’re offering today,” said Marine Sgt. Maj. Michael R. Saucedo, senior enlisted advisor to the Defense Commissary Agency director. “It’s a testament to the fact that a good idea doesn’t have a shelf life.” 

So, what’s the story about commissaries and their drive-up branch stores?

The number of commissaries grew during and after World War II, but not nearly fast enough to keep up with the number of military bases or the military family population. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, most commissaries still remained low on the priority list for funds for renovations and new facility construction. 

This funding shortage forced most bases to “make do” with whatever facilities they already had. One common solution was to create a store annex or a branch store. These smaller operations allowed customers to quickly run in and pick up a few items such as bread, milk and paper towels.

The Troop Support Agency, the organization that managed Army commissaries, called these stores “Mini Coms” and the Air Force Commissary Service dubbed theirs “Wee Serve,” which reflected on their motto “We Serve Where You Serve.”

Sometimes these annexes were established as separate “neighborhood stores.” In some instances, the branch operations were separate areas within the main store building, but were walled off from the rest of the store. They kept different hours than the main store and were accessed by separate entrances. 

Several of these branch stores allowed customers to call in their order over the phone, select a time to pick their groceries up and have them brought out to their car when they arrived. Although most annexes and branches were walk-in stores, a few had a window service that turned them into “drive-ins” – also known as “drive-throughs” or “drive-thrus.”

Most of the branch stores with drive-up service were open longer hours to serve customers later in the evening or early in the morning before the regular commissary opened.

The drive-in made possible incredibly quick shopping trips, during which the customer never left the vehicle. A customer could purchase a half-dozen items and be on his or her way in a matter of minutes. Such was the case at Port Hueneme, California, in 1961. The drive-in annex was attached to the main store, but it reduced congestion in the main store and in the parking lot by enabling customers to shop without getting out of their cars.

Some stores used the drive-in concept exclusively for parcel pick-up. This was especially popular at locations where there were not enough baggers to carry every customer’s purchases to their cars. Customers would walk through the store as usual, selecting items, but at the register their groceries would be tagged with a number, and when the customer drove up to the pick-up window, he would present a matching claim ticket to the attendant. Some stores, such as the main store at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, in 1965, provided a roof or a partial overhang for the parcel pick-up area.

Yesterday’s branch store call-in and pickup operations have evolved into today’s Commissary CLICK2GO.

“Our online ordering-curbside pick program makes shopping fun with features offering helpful product details, a robust selection of recipes, featured sales and promotions and now you can even pay online,” Saucedo said. “You arrive at your commissary and we’ll get your groceries loaded and off you go. It’s as easy as that.”

DeCA’s evolution of convenience continues with its testing of a delivery service at eight stateside installations that began June 1 and ends Aug. 30. The service allows patrons within a 20-mile radius of the participating commissary to order groceries online via Commissary CLICK2GO, and have them delivered to their front door. The test period is one of the tools the agency is using to determine future expansion of Commissary CLICK2GO delivery.

-DeCA-

NOTE: Portions of this article came from “The Illustrated History of American Military Commissaries” by Dr. Peter Skirbunt, former DeCA historian

The military commissary began in 1825 as a place to purchase goods at Army posts, paying at-cost pricing. Initially, the commissary was open only to active-duty military, and then in 1841, it opened to family members as well. The goal of the commissaries was to provide nutritious food no matter where the military was located – from near a city to the frontier away from the developed areas. A commissary was at every Army post, no matter the location. This included expanding to the Philippines and China in the early 1900s.

The Defense Department commissioned a study in 1989 that recommended the consolidation of the different military service branches’ commissary systems into one and in 1990 the Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) was established. The commissaries of today continue to provide groceries and products to military families at a lower costs. Congress has mandated a 5-percent surcharge on the items to cover the costs of building new commissaries and modernizing and updating current ones.

When living in areas of a high cost of living, and in overseas locations where it may be difficult to get familiar groceries, the military commissaries have relied upon resources. The savings of groceries including no sales tax can save families lots of money. In a time when the cost of living is increasing all around the world, every little bit helps.

The patron list has historically included active-duty members and their families and expanded to include military retirees and their families in 1879.  Now that COVID-19 restrictions have lessened, the patron groups are open to disabled veterans, Purple Heart recipients, former prisoners of war and their certified primary caregivers.

The Defense Commissary Agency, DECA, has been planning for grocery delivery and it starts June 1 at 8 military bases.

In April, DECA awarded grocery delivery contracts to two veteran-owned companies. The pilot program will run through the summer, ending August 30^th.  After the contract award, the delivery companies integrated and tested their technology with the commissary grocery ordering system. The plan for the same-day delivery is that grocery delivery within 3 hours for orders placed Monday through Friday.

The contract for the eastern commissaries is ChowCall based out of Chesapeake, Virginia.  The contract for the commissaries on the west coast is YouUp Delivery Inc, out of Roswell, Georgia.

East coast Commissaries participating in grocery delivery through ChowCall are:

– Fort Belvoir, Virginia

– Scott Air Force Base, Illinois

– Fort Bragg South Commissary, North Carolina

– MacDill Air Force Base, Florida

– Norfolk Naval Station, Virginia

West Coast Commissaries participating in grocery delivery through YouUp are:

-Fort Lewis, Washington

-Miramar Naval Air Station and San Diego Naval Station, California

The doorstep delivery cost is planned range between $3.80 and $4.15. This is much less than grocery delivery fees from big box stores. The plan is for delivery to be provided within a 20 miles driving distance from the commissaries. The hours of operation for delivery were not readily listed or available.

The co-founder of YouUp Delivery, Inc, Harold Earls is a retired captain from the Army. He remarked on his personal desire for convenience when it comes to grocery cost. He said he has specifically created his company with the goal to serve the military community, specifically through the commissary.

The CEO of ChowCall, Todd Waldemar, is a retired Marine. He currently works with restaurants on military bases and is excited about adding grocery delivery to their support.

The goal of both companies is to hire military spouses to work with the company to provide grocery delivery. Working for the delivery company will come with hourly wage plus tips. Per http://www.youup.us/hire, the hourly wage will be around $20 an hour. ChowCall is also hiring per their LinkedIn. That is quite a wage for grocery delivery, and much higher in comparison to other large companies that provide grocery and meal delivery around the U.S.

Like Click2Go, the commissary employees will still shop for the items that the military family desires from the store. Then the filled orders will be ready for pick up for the grocery delivery contractor. The application for grocery delivery will group the deliveries in the best and most efficient order.

The commissary provides about 20% cost savings in comparison to other grocery stores. Even with the few dollars grocery delivery fee, there will still be a grocery savings for military members.

The website for coordination of grocery delivery was not readily available at this writing. Will you use commissary grocery delivery?

In both 2020 and 2021, the National Defense Authorization Act discusses combining the military commissary and exchange system. In August of 2019, Deputy Secretary of Defense David L. Norquist wrote a memorandum recommending the consolidation of the Defense Commissary Agency (DECA), the Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES), the Navy Exchange Service Command (NEX) and the Marine Corps Exchange (MCX). The movement to consolidate was financially motivated.  A 2018 study determined that “the benefits of consolidating the defense resale entities far outweigh the costs.” A Government Accountability Office (GAO) review reached a different conclusion.

Currently, the exchange system uses its profit to support on base programming. Overseas, the exchanges operate movie theaters, food outlets and provide school lunches. Across the world, the exchange profits are put back into programming that support the military members and their families on the bases. When the consolidation was first introduced, the concern was raised if these programs would be continued to be supported.

The military commissary provides tax-free grocery shopping to military families on items that are at lower costs than off-base stores. While the prices differ across the country, the commissary is a constant no matter what military base around the world the military family moves to.

Current Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks has rescinded the memorandum requesting consolidation and advised the Department of Defense (DOD) “to cease all efforts to consolidate the Defense resale entities.”  A reported from the DOD in later 2021 stated that the consolidation was no longer feasible.  The initial 2018 study stated that consolidation would save $700 million to $1.3 billion over a period of five years. New analysis in 2021 determined that consolidation would require $1.5 billion in costs.

While cost-savings is the reason for cancelling the consolidation, other concerns were raised by the National Military Family Association and Military Officers Association of America. The two organizations noted concerns that programming supported by the exchange would end if the consolidation would occur. In addition, the cost would be passed onto customer. There are already increased costs of items in some locations overseas due to the cost of shipping items overseas. Adding an extra cost to them could be significant for military families.

Current law prohibits consolidation of the commissaries and exchanges and with the move away from consolidation, the same services are to continue.

FORT LEE, Va. – As the world celebrates 52 years of Earth Day on April 22 and the awareness it brings, the Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) is highlighting the steps it takes every day to reduce its environmental footprint through recycling and diversion, food donations and the sale of environmentally friendly products.

Since the inception of its environmental program in 2005, DeCA has recycled or diverted over 1.9 billion pounds of solid waste from landfills worldwide. That’s the equivalent of 1,939 fully loaded Boeing 747 jumbo jets being eliminated from landfills.

“It’s not just about Earth Day,” said Steven Edlavitch, DeCA environmental program manager. “The agency has made the commitment to our communities and that means we must also ensure we are doing everything we can to protect and bring sustainability to those communities.”

To fulfill its mission of reducing the agency’s footprint, commissaries recycle and divert different types of commodities. DeCA then sells the commodities and the proceeds are added to the surcharge funds, which pays for the construction of replacement stores, renovations, maintenance and repairs of existing stores, and the purchasing of new equipment and store-level information technology systems. The sale of cardboard, plastic and office paper has generated over $57 million in surcharge funds since 2005. In 2021, DeCA recycled or diverted the following commodities:

• Aluminum cans – 1,587 pounds
• Cardboard – 70,182,331 pounds
• Compost – 8,487,554 pounds
• Fat and bones – 1,076,858 pounds
• Food donations – 4,466,361 pounds
• Food recovery (organics) – 77,320 pounds
• Local farm – 610,711 pounds
• Metal – 54,410 pounds
• Office paper – 44,348 pounds
• Other recyclables – 29,081 pounds
• Plastic – 4,074,070 pounds
• Rotisserie chicken oil – 82,227 pounds
• Toner cartridges – 72 pounds
• Wood – 2,614,418 pounds
• Wood pallets – 3,291,821 pounds

The agency also sells outdated or surplus equipment. “By using a liquidation service to help sell out-of-use items, we have supported the environment by diverting 1.5 million pounds of used equipment from landfills,” said Edlavitch. “We also boosted the commissary benefit at the same time with the sale of these items, generating over $4.1 million in surcharge revenue.”

Another part of DeCA’s environmental program is the agency’s food bank program that donates edible but unsellable food to local food banks around the country. In 2021, the agency donated over 4.4 million pounds of edible but unsellable food. Since 2012, when the program started, the agency has donated over 32 million pounds of food, eliminating approximately 2.6 million pounds of methane gas, a detrimental greenhouse gas. DeCA currently has 196 approved (DoD) food banks and 174 commissaries supporting local foodbanks.

“The pandemic created a large demand for food donations,” said Edlavitch. “Helping food-insecure families is our social responsibility. And as an added bonus, donating food also reduces our environmental impact. We will continue to look for opportunities to donate food to help support our communities.”

DeCA also participates in the Feds Feed Families Food Drive, a voluntary federal-wide and nationwide effort for employees to collect and donate food for those in need. The USDA oversees the program and DeCA manages the DoD Feds Feed Families program. The 2021 campaign, which was conducted from June 1 to Aug. 31, collected just over 7.5 million pounds for donation to food banks. Commissary customers and DeCA employees were responsible for donating 2.4 million pounds or 66 percent of the DOD wide total of 3.7 million pounds. 

Even the commissary buildings contribute to the overall mission. Many of them have been built to or have been renovated to minimize their carbon footprint. Many of the stores have glass doors on their refrigeration units, they take advantage of natural light and use solar power units and LED lighting when possible. Some stores also have low- to no-maintenance flooring which helps to reduce the chemicals and equipment needed to strip and polish floors reducing the overall cost to run stores. The agency is also working to convert or upgrade existing HVAC units and other store technologies to help reduce the footprint further. 

The last part of the agency’s mission is offering environmentally friendly products for commissary customers. Products that can reduce the customers’ impact on the environment can be found in almost every section of the store. Customers can choose from organic produce, energy-saving compact fluorescent and LED light bulbs, high-efficiency laundry products and environmentally friendly cleaning products.

Customers can also find products with reduced packaging like paper towels and bathroom tissue without the cardboard tubes.

The commissary also features a commissary store brand, Full Circle Market, that provides sustainable, simple and better choices through all-natural ingredients, while not costing a fortune or sacrificing taste. According to the brand’s website, their “organic foods are farmed and produced without chemical treatments and processing. Full Circle Market organic foods have been produced using cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that support the cycling of on-farm resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity.”

Customers can also buy reusable shopping bags while shopping in their commissaries to help reduce the number of plastic bags being sent to landfills.

“While Earth Day may bring awareness to the systems and processes we have in place to help protect the environment, sustainability is something that is ingrained in how the commissaries do business,” said Edlavitch. “Our customers can count on us to be good stewards of the military and global communities.”

-DeCA-