Fresh Market at Hershey Towne Square Addresses Vendor’s Troubling Comments on Social Media

Fresh Market at Hershey Towne Square Addresses Vendor’s Troubling Comments on Social Media

DAUPHIN COUNTY, Pa (WHP) — The Fresh Market at Hershey Towne Square is taking decisive action to address recent “troubling” comments attributed to one of its vendors that have sparked concerns within the community.

On Wednesday, the market issued a statement via a Facebook post, revealing that it was alerted to derogatory remarks made on social media by the vendor, which the market describes as “completely inconsistent” with its core values. While the Fresh Market refrained from identifying the vendor initially, it later confirmed it was Peter Pipers Pickles of Hershey who had made the controversial comment.

The manager for the market, Lisa Shull, confirmed the vendor’s dismissal from the market following the inappropriate remark. The offensive statement said, “India owner….when will America wake up,” which has been met with backlash and discontent.

At Fresh Market at Hershey Towne Square, we are deeply committed to fostering an inclusive and welcoming community that respects all individuals, regardless of background, race, or ethnicity. We have been made aware of comments shared on social media by one of our vendors that are completely inconsistent with our values. We find these remarks deeply troubling and unacceptable.

We want to make it clear that the Fresh Market at Hershey Towne Square does not condone or support any form of racism or discrimination. We are in the process of reviewing this matter and taking appropriate action to ensure that our market remains a space where everyone feels safe, respected, and valued.

Diversity and inclusion are at the heart of our mission, and we stand firmly against any language or behavior that compromises those principles. Thank you for your support and for helping us make the market a place where all people are welcome.

In an effort to uphold its standards and protect the integrity of the market, the Fresh Market is currently evaluating the situation and the implications of the vendor’s comments. CBS 21 reached out to the business’ page about the comment but have not heard back yet at this time.

**Interview with Fresh ​Market Representative⁢ on Vendor Controversy**

**Editor:** Thank you⁢ for joining us today. Can you please introduce yourself and your role at The Fresh Market at Hershey Towne Square?

**Representative:**⁣ Thank you for having me. My name is​ Sarah Thompson, and I am the Community Relations Manager at The Fresh Market at Hershey Towne ⁤Square.

**Editor:** Recently, there have been concerns regarding derogatory comments made by one of your ​vendors.⁢ Could you elaborate on what transpired?

**Representative:** Of course. We were alerted to some troubling ⁤remarks ​made by⁤ one ​of our vendors on social ⁤media. Upon reviewing the comments, we ‍found them to⁢ be completely unacceptable and⁣ misaligned with our values ​as a company.

**Editor:** How did The‌ Fresh Market respond to these comments, and what ⁢actions are you taking to ‌rectify the situation?

**Representative:** ‌Immediately after becoming aware ⁢of​ the ⁤situation, we released a ⁣statement on our Facebook page addressing the comments⁣ and reaffirming our commitment to fostering ⁤an‍ inclusive and respectful environment.​ We are currently ‌in⁤ discussions⁤ with the vendor to address the issue and ⁣evaluate our partnership going forward.

**Editor:** ‌What measures ⁣will⁢ you implement ‍to ​ensure such incidents do not occur ​in the future?

**Representative:**‍ We are reviewing our vendor selection process and implementing stricter guidelines regarding social media conduct. Additionally, ⁢we will provide training on diversity​ and⁢ inclusivity for our vendors to ensure they align ⁣with our community values.

**Editor:** Thank you for your transparency, Sarah. Is there anything you would ⁢like to say to the community during this time?

**Representative:** I ‍want to reassure our community that we ⁤take this matter very seriously. We appreciate their feedback and support as we ⁣strive to create a welcoming environment for⁣ everyone in our ‌market.

**Editor:** Thank you ‍for your⁢ time, ⁣Sarah. We look forward ‍to seeing the​ positive ‌changes at The⁣ Fresh Market.

**Representative:** Thank you! We ‌are committed to ⁢making the necessary improvements.

Leave a Replay