MODESTO, Calif. — The Save Mart Companies said it raised more than $650,000 for local food banks across California and Western Nevada through its Friends Feeding Friends holiday hunger relief campaign, partnering with Keurig Dr Pepper to provide critical support to families facing food insecurity.
The campaign combined more than $533,000 in shopper donations with $120,000 in corporate contributions. Save Mart and Keurig Dr Pepper each contributed $60,000, helping the initiative more than double the amount raised in the prior year, according to the grocer.
“Friends Feeding Friends demonstrates what can happen when we all come together around a shared responsibility to care for one another,” said Donovan Ford, senior vice president and chief operations officer at Save Mart Companies. He added that the effort reflects the retailer’s longstanding role as a community partner and highlighted the generosity of shoppers during the holiday season.
Running from Nov. 5, 2025, through Jan. 1, 2026, the campaign invited customers at Save Mart, Lucky and FoodMaxx stores to add $5 or $10 Pantry Pack donations at checkout. To amplify the effort, Save Mart and Keurig Dr Pepper each contributed $1,000 per day for 60 days.
Funds collected during the first phase of the campaign were distributed to local food banks in mid-December to ensure support ahead of the holidays, with additional distributions scheduled for February. Save Mart said all donations stayed local, with funds raised in each community directed back to food banks serving that same area.
Keurig Dr Pepper said the partnership underscores the impact of collaboration among retailers, brands and shoppers. “We’re honored to work alongside The Save Mart Companies to turn everyday purchases into meaningful support for local food banks,” said Taylor Marcus, BUGM West at the beverage company.
Shopper participation was further boosted through friendly competition among store teams. The Save Mart store in Sparks, Nev., earned the Golden Cart Trophy as the overall campaign champion, while the Save Mart in Galt, Calif., was recognized as December’s top-performing store after customers donated nearly 2,000 Pantry Packs in a single month.
Throughout the campaign, stores marked progress with in-store recognition, weekly results tracking and storytelling focused on the local impact of donations. Store leaders said those efforts helped reinforce how small contributions at the register can translate into meaningful support for families in need.
