Melaleuca stocks pantries for 500 Knoxville employees during COVID-19

Hundreds of Melaleuca employees in Knoxville filled their fridges and pantries after the company provided them with several bags of free groceries on Good Friday. The company, which manufactures health and wellness products, surprised its 500 Knoxville employees when a refrigerated semi-trailer loaded with food pulled up to its facility.

Every employee walked away with a variety of fresh meat, produce, bread, and other essentials. This comes at a time that, in spite of retailers’ best efforts to keep shelves stocked, shoppers face difficulty in purchasing certain food staples due to a lack of inventory.

“We have secured a supply of groceries that would typically be headed to restaurants,” Melaleuca CEO Frank VanderSloot said. “We would like to make sure that it is put to good use and will make that available to employees for free. Thank you for all you do to keep yourselves and your families healthy!”

“This contribution provides a huge amount of relief and peace of mind,” said Teri Williams, Melaleuca’s vice president of East Coast operations. “It shows that Melaleuca’s mission of enhancing lives directly applies to its employees and their families. Our workplace culture puts people first, making this a place where people actually like to work.”

During today’s food distribution, employees followed safety protocols such as wearing face masks, keeping a six-foot distance from each other, and using Melaleuca’s Clear Defense hand sanitizer. Over a five-hour time period, they walked from table to table to receive their groceries just in time for the Easter weekend.

“This unexpected gesture made my week,” said Cheree Perry, a 27-year employee serving as a principal lab assistant. “Receiving free groceries is above and beyond what I would expect any company to do for their employees. Melaleuca has been a blessing to me and my family over all these years.”

Melaleuca is Hiring
Melaleuca has 380,000 square feet of manufacturing and distribution facilities located in southeast Knoxville in the Forks of the River Industrial Park.

In the wake of COVID-19, the company has experienced unprecedented demand for its wellness products, including hand sanitizers and a natural disinfectant approved by the EPA to be used against the coronavirus when used as directed.

To meet soaring customer demand, Melaleuca is currently hiring 70 people in Knoxville. Interested candidates should apply at MelaleucaJobs.com.