Military Appreciation Month

Memorial Day, Mother's Day, case lot sales, Cinco de Mayo take center stage for commissary savings in May

FORT LEE, Va. (April 20, 2017) – Whether it's for case lot sales, Cinco de Mayo, Mother's Day, Memorial Day or more, commissaries will be offering special savings throughout May for Military Appreciation Month.

"We want to thank our military members and their families for their service," said Tracie Russ, director of sales for the Defense Commissary Agency. "One way for us to do this at your local commissary is to offer the ever-popular Customer Appreciation Case Lot Sale – it's bulk shopping with significant savings."

The dates and locations for the case lot events are now available online on the Case Lot Sales page. Each stateside store hosts an individual two- or three-day case lot sale. Commissaries in Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico are also participating. Stores in Europe and the Pacific, while not officially participating, may have substitute events such as sidewalk sales.

DeCA's industry partners – vendors, suppliers and brokers – are collaborating with commissaries in May to offer discounts beyond everyday savings. Overseas stores may have substitute events for certain promotional programs.

Customers are asked to check their local commissary for details on dates and times for the following promotions:

• Case lot sales. Throughout May, DeCA will host its weekend Customer Appreciation Case Lot Sale event at all stateside commissaries. Located in the commissary parking lot, patrons will find deep discounts on club packs and cases of their favorite grocery products: bottled water, cereal, canned vegetables, paper products and more.
• So many tacos, so little time. For Cinco de Mayo, worldwide from April 24 to May 7, Old El Paso will offer savings on items from tortilla cups to grilled steak fajitas with all the fresh fixings.
• "A Round of Ap-Paws" – free pet food for a year. From May 1 to 31, J.M. Smuckers is offering a worldwide promotion where commissary patrons who buy any two participating pet products with their Commissary Rewards Card will be automatically entered for a chance to win a one-year supply of pet food and treats – a value of $1,500. Ten runner-up winners will get a three-month supply. Participating brands are Meow Mix, 9Lives, Milk-Bone, Nature's Recipe, Kibble 'n Bits, Gravy Train and Milo's Kitchen.
• Summer grilling savings. Beginning May 1 and continuing through June 30, stateside commissaries (to include Alaska and Hawaii) will offer a Memorial Day Weekend Grilling Coupon Booklet worth over $13. The themed coupon booklet will allow commissary patrons to receive discounts when purchasing fresh, store-processed beef or fresh pork with their weekend holiday essentials. The booklet is hosted by Kraft Heinz, Pepperidge Farms, Chinet, Kellogg's, Johnsonville and Bimbo Bakeries. Limited quantities are available.
• Supporting military families. From May 1 to July 4, Eckrich, sponsor of Operation Homefront, will donate 5 cents for every purchase of specially marked packages of Eckrich Rope Smoked Sausage – up to $500,000 – to help support military families.  Look in commissaries worldwide for military store coupons offering "Buy One, Get One Free."
• "Celebrating Our Heroes" sale. From May 8 to June 4, Acosta Military will donate portions of the proceeds from this promotion to support the Fisher House Foundation. In support of this promotion, 300,000 full-color coupon flyers will be distributed in commissaries worldwide. A Fisher House is "a home away from home" for families of patients receiving medical care at major military and VA medical centers. The homes are normally located within walking distance of the treatment facility or have transportation available.
• "Outnumber Hunger" is a worldwide partnership event between Feeding America®, Big Machine Label Group and General Mills dedicated to the fight against hunger. From May 8 to 21, patrons who purchase specially marked General Mills items can support this cause by entering a code listed on the package. Each code allows General Mills to direct five meals to a local food bank.
• Mother's Day chocolates. From May 8 to 21, Russell Stover and Whitman's will offer specially designed chocolate boxes worldwide with "Mom-specific" graphics on them. The Whitman's 12 oz. sampler will feature nostalgic images to commemorate the brand's 175th anniversary. Russell Stover is also partnering with the USO by donating $100,000 from this promotion along with  an additional $300,000 in Whitman's products that will be distributed to military families.
• National Pet Month! From May 8 to 21, Nestle Purina is promoting a three-fold sales event offering a sweepstakes for a trip for four to the San Diego performance of the "Purina Incredible Dog Show" aboard the USS Midway Museum ship. This is an all-inclusive trip with airline, hotel and tickets to the show; see store displays for details. During the promotion period, patrons will be able to save 25 percent off the purchase of their ProPLAN products. Nestle Purina will also be donating 1 pound of pet food for every bag of ProPLAN sold.
• Memorial Day Summer Grilling Contest! Kraft Heinz Company is offering patrons a chance to win a $500 commissary gift card – 19 prizes total. This online sweepstakes will run from May 1 to June 4. Look for in-store mass displays for details.

"During May, our patrons will see fantastic mass displays throughout the store as well as 'end of the aisle' promotions celebrating Cinco de Mayo, Mothers' Day, Military Appreciation Month and Memorial Day," Russ said. "We don't want them to miss all of these special sales events. They deserve it!"

Patrons can also access the DeCA website for the following features: 1) the Commissary Rewards Card, which allows patrons to redeem coupons electronically at the commissary checkout. Patrons can pick up a card at their local commissary and register it here, where they can log into their account to load coupons on the card before they shop; and 2) DeCA's new Nutrition Guide Program, which covers the color-coded shelf labels that point out items with key nutrient attributes such as low sodium, whole grain, no sugar added, low fat, good source of fiber and organic.

About DeCA: The Defense Commissary Agency operates a worldwide chain of commissaries providing groceries to military personnel, retirees and their families in a safe and secure shopping environment. Commissaries provide a military benefit and make no profit on the sale of merchandise. Authorized patrons save thousands of dollars annually on their purchases compared to commercial prices when shopping regularly at a commissary. The discounted prices include a 5-percent surcharge, which covers the costs of building new commissaries and modernizing existing ones. A core military family support element, and a valued part of military pay and benefits, commissaries contribute to family readiness, enhance the quality of life for America's military and their families, and help recruit and retain the best and brightest men and women to serve their country.

Media Contact:
Kevin L. Robinson
(804) 734-8000, Ext. 4-8773
kevin.robinson@deca.mil