CINCINNATI, May 20, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Kroger Co.
(NYSE: KR) today announced its latest results and achievements for
Zero Hunger | Zero Waste, the company's bold social impact plan
aimed at creating communities free of hunger and waste.
"Zero Hunger | Zero Waste addresses the disparity between hunger
and food waste in America, a mission that has never been more
relevant," said Rodney McMullen,
Kroger's chairman and CEO. "We are pleased with our progress so
far, but also recognize the monumental task still at hand. Kroger
is determined to do even more to help our neighbors and communities
secure a healthier, brighter future."
Through leadership, engagement and commitment, Kroger continues
to meaningfully give back on its journey to achieve a future with
Zero Hunger | Zero Waste. Notable 2019 milestones include:
Zero Hunger
- Kroger surpassed its three-year goal to donate 1 billion meals
by 2020, putting the retailer on track to achieve its goal of
donating 3 billion meals by 2025.
- Kroger directed a total of $279
million in charitable giving to its communities in 2019,
including $205 million to
organizations that are helping to end hunger.
- Kroger provided a total of 493 million meals—in food and
funds—to its communities across the country, a 56% increase from
2018.
- Kroger donated 101 million pounds of safe, surplus food from
its retail stores, distribution centers and manufacturing plants to
Feeding America® food banks.
Zero Waste
- Kroger accomplished 80% waste diversion, redirecting 2.3
million tons from landfills across its 35-state and Washington, D.C. footprint.
- Kroger increased year-over-year food waste tonnage recycled by
28%.
- Kroger achieved Zero Waste operations in 33 of its 35
manufacturing plants.
- Kroger increased total recycling by 12%.
- Kroger completed its plan to standardize date labels for Our
Brands food products, providing simpler, easier-to-understand
labels that result in less household food waste.
- The Innovation Fund, a program of The Kroger Co. Zero Hunger |
Zero Waste Foundation, awarded $1
million to its inaugural cohort, advancing collective action
to prevent food waste and improve food security in Kroger
communities.
- Kroger expanded its partnership with Apeel Sciences, preventing
food waste by offering Apeel's longer-lasting avocados at more than
1,100 Kroger stores across the country.
"Creating communities free of hunger and waste is no small
undertaking, and we continue to be inspired by our associates
who are leading the way toward achieving our shared Zero Hunger |
Zero Waste vision," added McMullen. "Today, we are proud to
recognize our 'Zero Heroes' for uplifting our communities
by committing an additional $50,000
in grants to community organizations of their choosing to support
our mission."
Kroger's 2019 Zero Heroes include:
GROCERY
DIVISIONS
|
|
|
Store
686
|
Abby
Travers
|
Camille
Davis
|
Arizona
|
Indiana
|
Tennessee
|
|
|
|
Marcos
Hernandez
|
Hope
Hoffman
|
Store
492
|
California
|
Kansas
|
Tennessee
|
|
|
|
Endiya
Cheeks
|
Store
737
|
Johnny
Gaines
|
Colorado
|
Our Promise
Team
|
Texas
|
|
Kentucky
|
|
Stephanie
Williams
|
|
Store
93
|
Georgia
|
Terri
Strong
|
Utah
|
|
Michigan
|
|
Jesse Pomeranz
Graves
|
|
Ruth
Johnson
|
Illinois
|
Bill
Weidus
|
Virginia
|
|
Ohio
|
|
Jennifer
Zink
|
|
Jodie
Peters
|
Indiana
|
Debbie
Anders
|
Washington
|
|
Ohio
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CORPORATE
OFFICE
|
|
|
Adam Young,
Connie
|
Tammy
Marmol
|
Holly
Rohrer
|
Helmers, Sarah
Golden,
|
Drug/GM
Merchandising
|
84.51°
|
Amelia Geiser,
Naomi
|
|
|
Bluesummers and
Jess
|
Joey
Maggard
|
Justin
Conley
|
Aurand
|
Retail
Operations
|
84.51°
|
Corporate Food
Technology
|
|
|
|
Collette
Remsen
|
|
|
Supply
Chain
|
|
"While we're incredibly proud of our 2019 results, we recognize
that the needs of our communities and nonprofit partners have
shifted dramatically in the past few months," said Keith Dailey, Kroger's group vice president of
corporate affairs. "We're currently focused on eliminating the
additional strain that COVID-19 has created for families struggling
with unemployment and food insecurity, and we encourage our
customers, partners and other businesses to join us on this urgent
mission."
Ways Kroger is combating food insecurity in response to
COVID-19:
- Activated The Kroger Co. Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Foundation's
Emergency COVID-19 Response Fund to help families
disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. To-date, Kroger and the
Foundation have committed more than $8
million to nonprofit organizations addressing urgent
COVID-19 response efforts.
- Accelerated additional grant funding to several social
enterprises in The Kroger Co. Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Foundation's
Innovation Fund portfolio that are helping recover and redistribute
food, totaling nearly $400,000.
- Offering customers new ways to meaningfully give back through
charitable giving platforms online, via Kroger Pickup orders and at check lanes across
nearly 2,800 Kroger Family of Stores.
- Expanding its Dairy Rescue Program to support children and
families during the COVID-19 pandemic through the summer
months.
- Accepting SNAP/EBT benefits for Kroger's low-contact Pickup
service across the country.
- Supporting the CARES Act by temporarily waiving the
check-cashing fee for stimulus checks.
- Continuing to collaborate with affiliate partners to donate
food and funds to local food banks and hunger-relief efforts.
To learn more about The Kroger Co. Zero Hunger | Zero Waste
Foundation, visit ZeroHungerZeroWasteFoundation.org and follow
the journey at #ZeroHungerZeroWaste.
About The Kroger Co.
At The Kroger Co.
(NYSE: KR), we are Fresh for Everyone™ and dedicated to our
Purpose: To Feed the Human Spirit®. We are, across
our family of companies, nearly half a million associates who serve
over 11 million customers daily through a seamless shopping
experience under a variety of banner names. We are committed
to creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities by 2025. To learn more
about us, visit our newsroom and investor relations
site.
About The Kroger Co. Zero Hunger | Zero Waste
Foundation
The Kroger Co. Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Foundation (the
"Foundation") is a 501(c)(3) public charity founded in 2018. The
Foundation was formed to support initiatives that create
communities free of hunger and waste.
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SOURCE The Kroger Co.