With all the heat waves we’ve been experiencing this summer, it’s no wonder the supermarket industry is looking for ways to cut their energy costs. In my travels over the past month I heard from both wholesalers and retailers about what they’re doing to save energy. The ShopRite in Egg Harbor, NJ, part of Village Super Market, recently announced its intention to install 1,782 solar panels to reduce energy consumption, lower the environmental impact and power in store refrigeration and lighting. Each panel will be fixed to the roof of the store producing 525 kilowatts. The new solar panel system is also expected to reduce energy consumption at the store, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 400 tons. “This solar project allows us to build sustainable practices into our business while still providing quality service and comfort to our customers,” stated Kevin Begley, CFO of Village.
“We recognize that our customers look for a shopping experience that not only offers them service and value but that also fulfills their desire to do what’s right for the environment. We will continue to look for new ways in which to reduce our environmental impact and to maintain an environmentally responsible store.”
In addition to installing solar panels, the ShopRite of Egg Harbor uses high efficiency refrigeration systems and refrigerated store cases with energy saving lamps and lighting systems to lessen its impact on the environmental system. Village Super Market also installed a 276 kW solar system at the ShopRite of Garwood in 2010. Currently, the Egg Harbor project is in the design phase, and will be operational later in the year.
White Rose is also looking for ways to save on energy expenses and also be a stellar example of how to reduce the corporate carbon footprint. The Carteret, NJ based wholesaler is in the process of installing nearly 11,000 solar panels on the roof its frozen and grocery warehouses, which should result in what is reportedly one of the largest solar undertakings in the state of New Jersey to date. “The food distribution business is very competitive, and the installation of this system will provide us significant economic benefits, helping us remain competitive and retain jobs in New Jersey,” said John Annetta, SVP-ops at White Rose, a division of AWI, Robesonia, PA. “We also feel we are doing our part to help the environment by replacing about 4.5 million kilowatt-hours per year of grid based energy with clean renewable energy generated on the roof of our warehouse.” The solar panels will cover an area about the size of seven American football fields, generating enough electricity to meet all the annual energy needs of White Rose’s regional food distribution activities. To put this in layman’s terms, if used in the residential energy marketplace, the system could serve 400 American homes. The panel should be ready to go live by October 2011.
White Rose is also in the process of changing all the tube and high pressure sodium lighting in the warehouses with LED lighting. This transitional process will take up to six months to complete and will reduce the power usage and expense by approximately 70 percent. Cool!
I have found people in the food industry, be they in the retail, manufacturing or distribution/ wholesale sector, to be very generous. Even with the economy in shambles, donations of time, product and money seem to arrive at the most needed moment. There are so many notifications we get every week about these events, that I couldn’t possibly write at great length about all of them, so following are synopses of as many as I can fit here. The 57th Summer Fancy Food Show in Washington, DC, ended on a high note when exhibitors broke records by donating 153,000 pounds of specialty foods and beverages to area residents in need. The food was the single largest food donation in the history of DC Central Kitchen (DCCK), the Fancy Food Show’s local charity of choice. “This was a wonderful way to end the show,” said Ann Daw, president of the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade, Inc., the show’s owner. “The monumental food donation by our generous exhibitors is one of our proudest traditions.”
Turkey Hill is also mixing sales and charity this summer as America celebrates the birthday of my favorite Lady in the land, Lady Liberty. Immigrants passing through Ellis Island in the 1920s were served ice cream as part of their introduction to American culture, so it’s only fitting that the Statue of Liberty should celebrate her 125th birthday in October with her very own ice cream flavor and a 125-day campaign to celebrate her ongoing role as the most powerful symbol of freedom, hope and opportunity around the world. The Turkey Hill campaign will include an essay contest that asks middle and high school students to answer the question, “What does liberty mean to me?” Two winners will be selected by The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation and Turkey Hill Dairy as well as a $5,000 scholarship prize. Donations from sales will go to support the new Peopling of America Center at Ellis Island. “The Statue of Liberty is a true American icon that will be forever a part of our national landscape,” said Quintin Frey, president of Turkey Hill Dairy. “It is with great pride that we are able to participate in this commemorative celebration of Lady Liberty and all she means to this Nation of Immigrants.” The Statue is also scheduled to undergo a $25 million facelift over the next year. My favorite baseball team, The Phillies, along with ShopRite, and Philabundance ran a successful canned food drive, “ShopRite Partners In Caring food drive for Philabundance” at Citizens Bank Park on July 17, resulting in a donation of 9,325 pounds of non-perishable food donations – or the equivalent of nearly 10,000 meals. Phillies fans showed up in droves to drop off their donations, which totaled nearly 5,000 cans and ShopRite matched the donation with more than 4,000 cans, which will help Delaware Valley.
Donations were collected at Citizens Bank Park gates and all fans who donated received a free ShopRite reusable grocery bag. Phillies legend Greg “The Bull” Luzinski joined ShopRite Potluck bloggers (http://www.blog.shoprite.com) to accept donations and thank fans, while 98.1 WOGL provided music, Wonderful Pistachios handed out samples and fans enjoyed free ice cream samples compliments of Turkey Hill. The food drive served as the kick off to Phans Feeding Families, a month-long initiative that aims to help raise money and collect food to feed the 900,000 people in the Delaware Valley that are at risk of hunger each year. For more information, please visit www.phillies.com/feedingfamilies.
Associates, managers and executive staff members of The Fresh Grocer have been volunteering at Philabundance, to help the fight against hunger. Providing food to more than 65,000 people per week, Philabundance is always looking for volunteers so if you have a few free hours they would love to have your help. The Fresh Grocer saw this opportunity to help their community and presented employees with the chance to volunteer. June and July brought the first two groups of Fresh Grocer volunteers to extend helping hand. “The Fresh Grocer is committed to our community and values opportunities that allow us to make a difference,” says president and CEO Patrick J. Burns. “We are fervent in our efforts to support charitable organizations and encourage our associates to participate. Philabundance is an admirable organization and it is inspiring to see so many employees excited to volunteer.”
In about two hours, the first group of Fresh Grocer volunteers packed more than 11,000 pounds of food. The Fresh Grocer is also continuing their fight to offer fresh produce in the food deserts of Philadelphia. Every Saturday since April, The Fresh Grocer has been assisting Temple University’s School of Tourism and Hospitality Management (STHM) with their newly established Fruits for the Spirits farmers market. Fruits for the Spirits is an outdoor farmers market created to help local, underprivileged families purchase fresh produce at affordable prices. Located on 23rd and Berks Streets, the farmers market receives weekly deliveries of fresh produce from The Fresh Grocer’s nearby location on Broad Street in North Philadelphia.
Genuardi’s announced the launch of its 10th annual companywide campaign to support the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s (MDA) efforts to develop treatments and assist people coping with neuromuscular diseases. The company’s U.S. retail stores will also participate in the “Make a Muscle, Make a Difference” program, which provides MDA with a portion of the proceeds of specially marked products purchased by Safeway customers. Over the years, Safeway has raised more than $58 million for muscular dystrophy charities.
Word of the month: I heard a new word a few weeks ago while watching Rocco DiSpirito’s show, “Rocco’s Dinner Party,” one of my new favorite TV shows. Raven Symone was one of the guests, and as the meal was being served she announced that she was a chickaturkafishatarian. Any guess as to what that is? Aha! It’s a person who doesn’t eat pork or beef. What does that make those of us who eat everything? I welcome your suggestions!
As we continue the circle of life, we send condolences out to Brian Chick, Ritter Poultry, Inc. on the death of his mother, Priscilla Chick on July 18. She was 88 years young.
Birthday shout outs for this lazy hazy month of August go to: Jeff Bilk, Burris Logistics; Judi Ostroff, wife of Nate Ostroff, Network Food Brokers; Michael Bozzuto, Bozzuto’s; Kathleen Ellis, wife of AWI’s Bernie Ellis; Alvin Schwartz, LAS Assoc.; Frank Frazier, ret. Cargill; Marty Delinski, Supervalu; Ed Rodgers, L&L Brokerage and my dad, Mario Maggio. Buon Compleanno a tutti!
Celebrating marital bliss are Nate and Judi Ostroff, Network Food Brokers; Best-Met treasurer Bill and Ann Speakman; and Best-Met’s Nina and John Weiland. Happy Anniversary!
Quote of the month: “Some people regard private enterprise as a predatory tiger to be shot. Others look on it as a cow they can milk. Not enough people see it as a healthy horse, pulling a sturdy wagon.” – Sir Winston Churchill