As the plight of low-wage retail workers has gained national attention, HEB, a regional grocery chain and one of Texas’ largest private employers, is giving 55,000 employees an equity stake in the company.

The Butt family, which founded the San Antonio-based grocer 110 years ago, is handing an estimated 15 percent of the company’s shares to employees over 21 years old who have worked at least a year at the retailer and clocked at least 1,000 hours in a calendar year.

Managers at the retailer, which runs 370 stores in Texas and Mexico and had $23 billion in net sales this year, started informing employees who qualify on Monday, according to the company.

The plan is intended to recognize workers’ contributions and foster loyalty to the company, and enhance their long-term financial stability, said Craig Boyan, HEB’s president and chief operating officer. Under the plan, workers are able to cash out when they leave or retire from the company, and will also receive dividends based on the retailer’s earnings.