Photo By Chief Petty Officer Chad Butler | BUSAN, Republic of Korea (April 26, 2018) Capt. Gregory Stehman, Commander, U.S. Naval...... read more read more
BUSAN, Republic of Korea (April 26, 2018) - The Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) mini-mart located on Pier 8 in Busan has expanded its selection of popular grocery items and reorganized its stock in response to a customer survey conducted by Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Korea (CNFK) in Feb. 2018.
The mini-mart now stocks frozen vegetables, frozen meat, bread, milk and eggs in addition to the current selection of basic convenience items in an effort to better accommodate the growing presence of U.S. military and dependents in Busan.
“We’re aligning ourselves to satisfy the demands in this area,” said Brian Sonntag, general manager of AAFES, Area 4. “Frozen items like burgers, chicken and veggies are among the most requested items by the families.”
With the relocation of CNFK in 2016, Busan increased the number of U.S. service members and families requiring support services.
“We are trying to make things more convenient for those stationed in Busan,” said Sonntag. “The nearest commissary is located more than an hour away in Chinhae. Some families don’t have the time to make the trip, especially for regular needs like eggs and bread, so this is a way we can fill that gap.”
Sonntag said this change will hopefully save families a trip, being much closer with less traffic. It will also improve business for the AAFES mini-mart, and in the future, the program could be expanded further.
“The Pier 8 mini-mart is a convenient way to supplement amenities that we are used to having back home, without having to drive for an hour,” said Logistics Specialist 1st Class Artur Gejdel, a supply clerk assigned to CNFK. “When I go to get groceries, I can also get a haircut and use the ATM.”
The Pier 8 AAFES gives a majority of its profits to support quality of life programs for service members on the peninsula.
“This is an opportunity to serve the military community with items that save time and provide convenience and to give back to Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) programs,” said Capt. Gregory Stehman, CNFK’s assistant chief of staff for logistics.
The AAFES mini-mart also accepts orders for any items sold at AAFES exchanges, including furniture and electronics. Customer’s orders can be purchased, shipped and picked up at the Pier 8 location.
“Customers will be able to order larger items online and have them shipped to the store for pick up,” said Sonntag. “We’ve already seen an increase in sales since we’ve started.”
The Pier 8 facility also hosts a barber shop, ATM, 24-hour gym, and a restaurant.
“We appreciate the community support,” said Sonntag. “We are embodying the AAFES motto, “we go where you go.””
For more information about AAFES South Korea, visit https://www.facebook.com/SouthKoreaExchange.
For more news from Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Korea, visit www.navy.mil/local/cnfk.
| Date Taken: | 04.26.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 05.10.2018 21:41 |
| Story ID: | 276053 |
| Location: | BUSAN, BUSAN GWANG'YEOGSI [PUSAN-KWANGYOKSHI], KR |
| Web Views: | 1,240 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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