All Eyes On H-E-B For Brands Seeking "Purpose"
When Serving Customer and Community Is The North Star
We cut our July 4th trip to the Texas Hill Country early. It poured violently most of the time, and we were concerned that there would be flooding. We were fortunate to be in the Canyon Lake area of the Hill Country—ironically, a drought-ridden lake that will benefit from the sudden influx of water rushing down the Guadalupe River. Unfortunately, this comes at the expense of historic-level death and destruction, much of it concentrated in Kerrville, just an hour from our home in San Antonio.
This is a tragedy. But as it often goes with disasters. We see the best of humanity rise to the occasion during the worst of times.
Before moving to Texas, I was aware of the fervent loyalty Texans have for H-E-B, but now I get to experience it firsthand and truly understand it. H-E-B is a truly exceptional company. You’ll first feel this from the employees themselves—they’ll tell you how grateful they are to work there and how it’s the best place they’ve ever worked. And just like we’re seeing now with the tragic disaster in the Texas Hill Country, H-E-B is on the scene, ready and equipped to help.
(Above) H-E-B relief caravan on its way to Kerrville, TX.
Companies like H-E-B are becoming increasingly rare. There are so few like them where I’ve seen both employees and customers express such unfettered, undying loyalty. But then you see how they show up again and again in their communities, and it all clicks.
When disasters strike—from hurricanes to power outages to flooding—H-E-B doesn’t just write a check. They deploy mobile kitchens. They reroute supply chains. They send their teams to distribute essentials. In past crises—Hurricane Harvey (2017), the 2021 winter storm, and the West, Texas fertilizer plant explosion—H‑E‑B mobilized mobile kitchens, donated six‑figure sums (e.g., $100K + customer drive yielding $1M), and activated relief units to serve hot meals and essentials In a time when “resilience” is a buzzword, they embody it. You don’t see a press release first—you see a truck. You see action.
That’s the thing: H-E-B doesn’t talk about “purpose.” They live it. Compare that with most brands today, which wrap themselves in the language of mission and values. We’ve heard it all: “We believe in people,” “We’re committed to communities,” “We stand for change.” But when it’s time to step up, to take a hit for the sake of people or principle, most fall silent or default to corporate platitudes.
What H-E-B understands is that brand isn’t what you say—it’s what you do. And that’s why they don’t need Super Bowl commercials to build an emotional connection. They’ve earned it in every storm, every crisis, every tragedy. Their reputation is forged in action, not advertising.
I’ve met people who go out of their way to shop there, even when it's not the closest option. That kind of loyalty isn't manufactured. It’s not a result of clever branding. It’s earned over time, and often in hard times.
As the business landscape continues to evolve, the concept of “brand purpose” will face increasing scrutiny. Consumers are growing increasingly cynical and discerning. They’ve seen too many brands posture for headlines only to backtrack when it gets uncomfortable or costly. An industry friend of mine speculated that the new corporate responsibility will be about saving or creating jobs, and I understand this while watching so much of the white-collar world seemingly shrink in real time. The scoreboard has changed. In the age of receipts, screenshots, and grassroots mobilization, only one thing consistently builds lasting brand equity: doing the right thing.
Other companies would be wise to look at H‑E‑B not as an outlier, but as a benchmark—a reminder that doing right by people isn’t a strategy, it’s a standard. In an era where trust in institutions is eroding and purpose has become more performative than practiced, H-E-B quietly demonstrates what it means to show up consistently, with empathy, and with impact.
Speaking of empathy, this is a good week to spare some for the state of Texas, as family members here mourn the loss of their loved ones. We’re all living in one of the most politically divided eras in our nation’s history, and sadly, it sometimes has a way of coloring everything we see through a red or blue lens.
And thank you, H-E-B, for your continual commitment to the communities you serve.
Visually yours,
H-E-B is such a great example of a company that sees people rather than faceless customers. As you point out they don’t need “branding” in that they are woven into communities as members, not some distant entity.