Food Lion is a supermarket that has 1,100 stores across the Southeast, focusing on five core values: courage, integrity, teamwork, care and humor. A main belief of theirs is that no one should have to go without food, which is why they host food donations, volunteer service and food rescue programs to combat food insecurity.

Enter Caleb Cleary ’26, a Hospitality Management major at Johnson & Wales University with a specialization in Hotels and Resorts. He has been working at Food Lion since he was 16 and completed his JWU internship there in August 2025 as an assistant store manager.

Not only does Cleary love the connection he has with the people who work and shop there, but he also believes in Food Lion’s mission on combatting food insecurity.

How a Food Lion Internship Builds Retail Management Skills

Cleary originally worked at a smaller Food Lion before switching to a high-volume location in Charlotte, North Carolina.

“When I came to my new Food Lion, I was coming to a store in a big city, and I didn’t know what to expect,” he states. “After a year of being there, I learned a lot that I would not have learned at my old store, and I gained so much.”

Cleary’s workday keeps him busy, with his responsibilities including paperwork, managing staff schedules, cash management and checking in with the store and customer service managers regularly.

Cleary handles required paperwork, but his real passion is being out on the floor, interacting with people.

“My favorite parts of the job involve being on the front end with customers,” he states. “I enjoy consistent conversation and movement and helping my team when they’re struggling.”

He is usually supporting 9-10 people at a time, so he finds it important to maintain communication with everyone.

“Food Lion is a family place,” he shares. “It’s all about taking care of the people.”

One of the most valuable parts of Cleary’s internship was learning and understanding the cash management side of things, as this is a main skill used as a customer service manager, which is Cleary’s goal.

“Much of my responsibility has involved monitoring shortages, locating discrepancies, balancing cash and tracking money on the front end of the store,” shares Cleary.

While this part of the job has been one of the biggest challenges for him, during his internship, “my supervisors worked closely with me to identify areas where I could improve and provided strategies to help me become more accurate and efficient.”

Through this process, he learned the importance of accountability, consistency and attention to detail when handling cash operations. “These lessons have helped me gain confidence and improve my overall performance, which will be essential as I move into future leadership positions,” Cleary elaborates.

Applying JWU Classroom Lessons in a Real-World Internship

Being in school and working at the same time requires balance to ensure that you have enough time to complete assignments and responsibilities in both areas.

This is something Cleary had to learn. “Although I have been with Food Lion since I was in high school, I knew that accepting a promotion while also moving to Charlotte to complete my bachelor’s degree would be a challenge,” shares Cleary.

While Cleary has always been a social butterfly, he credits his college experience for developing skills he uses on the job: “JWU helped prepare me for my internship by teaching me the value of hard work, time management and professional growth.”

Through his classes, hands-on experience and communicating with professors, he was able to learn how to balance multiple responsibilities at the same time, including staying focused on his goals.

“In general, JWU has great professors that show you how to be proactive, advocate for yourself and establish yourself,” he states.

“I want to make sure I get both my school and work finished, and I balance this while trying harder at everything I’m doing — because at the end of the day, I know I’m responsible for my team,” comments Cleary.

How a Store Management Internship Ties into a Hospitality Management Major

Before his position at Food Lion, Cleary says he didn’t know anything about managing employees.

Through his role, he now understands what goes into directing many people at once, including managing the front of house when his supervisor is out.

“I love the customers and the opportunities, and I’ve learned when I need to put my foot down,” expresses Cleary.

His internship has also strengthened his skills that connect directly with his Hospitality Management degree.

“Even though I work in a grocery store rather than a large resort or hotel, I believe hospitality exists in everything we do when serving customers,” Cleary shares. “Whether I am assisting guests at the customer service desk, helping an elderly customer carry groceries to their car or resolving a customer’s concern, I am providing a hospitality experience.”

His internship has also helped him improve his communication, leadership, problem-solving and customer service skills. Honing customer-focused skills in particular is helping him become a stronger manager and colleague, setting him up for success in his future: “These experiences have shown me that hospitality is about making people feel valued and cared for, regardless of the setting.”

Cleary is especially grateful for having supportive colleagues who ensure that he’s prepared for the next steps in his career and is comfortable with his responsibilities.

“I am especially thankful for my store team and my customer service manager, who believed in me from day one and saw my potential,” he states. “Their support, combined with the skills and confidence I gained at JWU, has helped me continue developing professionally.”

Ways to Turn Experience into Career Advancement

After graduation, Cleary intends to remain with Food Lion, working toward another promotion. He hopes to become the store’s customer service manager by the end of 2026 or in early 2027.

Then, after he has gained some experience in the management role, Cleary plans on aligning more with his degree major, stating, “I would like to transition into the hospitality industry and pursue opportunities in hotel management.”

Cleary’s dream job is to work in a leadership position, such as an assistant manager or assistant general manager, at a hotel or resort. “I believe the leadership, customer service and operational experience I am gaining at Food Lion will provide a strong foundation for a successful career in hospitality management.”

Yet, whatever is in Cleary’s future, he has some advice for other hospitality majors: “Be proactive and don’t just assume things. Some people questioned my choice when I said I was working in a grocery store, but there are more opportunities than people see on the surface. I didn’t realize I would be the assistant store manager in just four years!”

Author Ava Zajczenko ’27 is a Nonprofit Management major with a focus on food insecurity and works as a student assistant at JWU, contributing to JWU News.