America's Second Harvest Names Kroger "Grocery Retailer of the Year" for Leading the Fight Against Hunger
Retailer Honored for “Outstanding Support” After Donating 28 Million Pounds of Food to Feed the Hungry; Prestigious Hunger Relief Award is Kroger’s Third in Five Years
CINCINNATI, OH --- October 10, 2005 --- The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) and America’s Second Harvest – the Nation’s Food Bank Network, today announced that Kroger has been named “Grocery Retailer of the Year.” It is the third time in the past five years that Kroger has received the award.
Kroger and its retail divisions were honored for their “outstanding support”
of America’s Second Harvest food banks across the country. Among the
criteria used by the selection committee were product donations, technical
assistance, funding, food drives and volunteer efforts. Food bank members
of the America’s Second Harvest Network nominated Kroger for the
award
Kroger’s retail divisions work with more than 40 regional food banks
around the country that are affiliated with Second Harvest. The
Company consistently ranks as one of the largest retail contributors of food and
grocery products to the non-profit organization. In the past five years, Kroger
has provided nearly 120 million pounds of product - valued at roughly $160
million - to the Second Harvest Network.
“Kroger provides tremendous support to our Network. They have a genuine commitment to help us feed millions of Americans who are hungry or at risk of hunger,” said Robert Forney, president and C.E.O. of America’s Second Harvest. “Their contributions to us – including donations of product, funds and food drives, cannot be overstated.”
“Kroger is proud to support America’s Second Harvest in the movement to end hunger in America,” said David B. Dillon, Kroger chairman and chief executive officer. “Our associates are involved with food banks in almost every community where we operate. They are the reason why Second Harvest food banks recognized Kroger as the leading retail partner in their efforts to feed hungry children, families and seniors.”
In recent years, Kroger has expanded its partnership with Second Harvest through the "Grocery Alliance" program. Under this program, Kroger retail divisions work more closely with food banks and food-rescue organizations in their local communities to generate greater awareness of hunger relief programs, share best practices in raising food donations, and seek new donation opportunities through a variety of activities.
Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, Kroger is one of the nation’s largest retail grocery chains. At the end of the second quarter of fiscal 2005, the Company operated (either directly or through its subsidiaries) 2,515 supermarkets and multi-department stores in 32 states under two dozen local banners including Kroger, Ralphs, Fred Meyer, Food 4 Less, King Soopers, Smith’s and Smith’s Marketplace, Fry’s and Fry’s Marketplace, Dillons, QFC and City Market. Kroger also operated (either directly or through subsidiaries, franchise agreements, or operating agreements) 791 convenience stores, 431 fine jewelry stores, 559 supermarket fuel centers and 42 food processing plants. For more information about Kroger, please visit our web site at www.kroger.com.
# # #
Media Contacts:
Gary Rhodes
The Kroger Co.
(513) 762-1304
Ross Fraser
America's Second Harvest
(312) 263-2303,
x127
