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Meet Darbi Neilson

Darbi Nelson

After you meet Darbi Neilson, a recent graduate of our Options program, be sure to read more about how fresh&easy facilitates learning and development for all its employees.

Name: Darbi Neilson
Hometown: Fallbrook (San Diego), CA
Current position: I’m in the Options Program to become a Team Leader
Location: Oceanside 1336
Previous positions at fresh&easy: Shop for Schools Regional Coordinator
Education: Some College

How did you get started at fresh&easy?

I was a frequent shopper at the Fallbrook shop (3 times a week). My husband is self employed and we had paid for private medical insurance for years. I was thrilled when I found out that Fresh & Easy provides benefits for their part-time employees. I become part of the Fallbrook team two weeks later.
I was asked to be the Shop for Schools Champion in 2009. Later that year, I was asked to be a Regional Coordinator. I’ve continued with Shop for Schools every year since.

What does a day in the life of a Shop for Schools Regional Coordinator look like?
Let’s look at a typical Thursday. Thursdays are Shop for School Shopping Nights. Shopping Nights are a BLAST!

  • 12:00 Noon-3:00PM: Check emails and voice mails. Respond as needed. Begin composing weekly updates for my District Managers, Store Managers, Store Champions, and the SFS Home Team.
  • 3:00PM-4:00PM: HIT THE ROAD! Deliver any materials needed to schools or stores. Begin my Shopping Night store visits.
  • 4:00PM-8:00PM: I usually visit 5 to 6 stores on a given Shopping Night evening. I visit with the school volunteers, the Store Champion, and the Manager on duty. I enjoy the customers the most during these visits. It is almost a guarantee that I will meet a school parent or administrator shopping with us for the first time. I LOVE taking a moment to see and hear their reaction. We always end up walking the store a bit and I share why I love Fresh & Easy with them. You can always see the light go on and know that we have one more loyal customer. They are VERY grateful for the Shop for Schools program and Fresh & Easy’s generosity.
  • 8:00PM-9:00PM: HOME to the family.

What do you think is the most challenging aspect of your job?

The most challenging and rewarding aspect of my job is solving problems. There are so many components to the Shop for Schools program. It’s easy for one thing to get missed and it causes a chain reaction. It’s rewarding to find a solution for the school, the store, and the program.

Why do you love working at fresh&easy?

I love working for Fresh & Easy for a number of reasons:

  • Being a Good Neighbor: It is SO rewarding to receive expressions of gratitude in person and via email from our local schools. It’s great to know that people are grateful that Fresh & Easy cares about their children and community.
  • Opportunity to Grow: I love that I can choose my path and work towards goals that are inline with my passion…working with the community and branding Fresh & Easy.
  • A Great Place to Work: My family means the world to me. I enjoy working with a team that has become an extension of that family.

Getting Fresh:

What fresh&easy foods do you crave?

OMG…Bistro Salad (TOTALLY addicted); Roasted Tomato Salsa; Fiesta Chips; Pesto Hummus; Chocolate Covered Almonds.

When you’re not at work, where can we find you?

With my family at the beach, biking, hiking, watching movies, serving in the community.

What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done (that you can share on your employer’s blog)?

Biked down the side of a volcano. ☺

What’s on your iPod or DVR?

Right now…U2’s “Beautiful Day”

What’s an interesting or little known fact about you?

I’m a grandma to one AMAZING 7 month old little girl…the BEST pay back EVER for having kids. ;)