Hy-Vee Reconfiguring HQ to Attract More Talent

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa — Hy-Vee Inc. is pursuing a new strategy for expanding its corporate headquarters, which would ultimately allow the company to streamline efficiency and attract more talent.

The Midwestern operator is receiving $7.5 million in tax credits from its state's Economic Development Authority to use between two locations: an office headquarters in a leased 130,000-square-foot space in Grimes, Iowa; and a conference center in West Des Moines, according to AndNowUKnow.com.

"Hy-Vee has determined that the necessary traditional office environment and this unique and creative setting can’t coexist at the same location, so the previously proposed expansion does not solve our problem," Hy-Vee Group Vice President Peter Hosch wrote in a letter to Iowa Economic Development Authority. "The issue is further complicated by the fact that our employment growth needs are happening far quicker than we anticipated, making more immediate access to office space a must."

The office restructuring is expected to create more than 100 new positions that will be split between the two headquarters. Hosch said the plan was developed to foster a unique work environment for its employees designed to "attract and retain technology and creative staff."

As CSNews Online previously reported, Hy-Vee plans to open convenience stores that will serve as mini grocery stores with gas pumps as part of its expansion into the Twin Cities. The company has not stated how many locations it plans to open.

West Des Moines-based Hy-Vee operates both convenience stores and grocery stores in eight Midwestern states. It was ranked No. 56 on Convenience Store News' 2016 Top 100.