WILLIAMSBURG— From bagger and cashier to customer service assistant manager, Latrese Braxton credits her ability to remain at Food Lion for the past 30 years to her parents and the strong work ethic they instilled in her. She also credits her customers and her love for them as part of her success.
“When [customers] come in and they know me by name, or they want to wait in my line because they know it’s me that in itself makes a good day for me at the store,” Braxton said.
Another good day for Braxton came April 30, when she was recognized during the company’s annual Service Awards ceremony honoring employees who reach major career milestones.
Her advice to anyone entering the job market? Food Lion can be a career.
“Never let anybody think that this is a job that cannot take you further and take you to where you want to be and have dreams to move forward and to move up in the company,” Braxton said.
She said her most challenging days are when the store is busy and short-staffed. She added that she doesn’t consider anything at her store negative, only stressful at times.
Throughout her career, Braxton worked in a couple of different departments but says customer service has always been where she has been the most comfortable. She started with the Food Lion in West Point before transferring to Williamsburg.
The awards ceremony was held in Salisbury, North Carolina, where Braxton and Dave Buckingham, a frozen food and dairy associate from Yorktown, were both recognized for 30 years of service.
Top Employers Institute named the grocery store a Top Employer in the United States for 2025. Food Lion was also named Southeast Retailer of the Year for 2024 by The Shelby Report. Company officials say careers like Braxton’s are examples of how employees can grow within the organization.
“Many of our leaders started in store-level or early career roles, including internships and retail management training programs, and have grown with the company over time,” said Troy Leshko, executive vice president of retail operations at Food Lion. “By investing in opportunities like tuition assistance, we’re helping associates continue learning, pursue their goals and see a future for themselves at Food Lion.”
