Fresh & Easy Opens Three Stores in San Diego County; Launches fresh&easy Goodness Products for Kids

SAN DIEGO, Sept. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Fresh & Easy CEO Tim Mason was joined today by Region IX Director of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Herb K. Schultz, San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders, and San Diego County Childhood Obesity Initiative Director Cheryl Moder to celebrate the opening of three Fresh & Easy stores in San Diego County and the launch of fresh&easy Goodness, a range of more nutritious products designed specifically for kids.

"We applaud Fresh & Easy's efforts to promote more food options so that all different types of neighborhoods have access to affordable, healthy food," said Herb K. Schultz. "Last week our partnership with the League of California Cities and the First Lady's Let's Move! Campaign resulted in California's cities unanimously approving a resolution in support of ending childhood obesity within a generation. Making sure that neighborhoods have access to better food options are pivotal to this effort."

fresh&easy Goodness products, which hit stores this month, are fun, delicious and convenient items kids will love and parents can feel good about feeding their children. Like all fresh&easy products, there are no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives, no added trans fats and no high-fructose corn syrup. Fresh & Easy also worked to limit the amount of sugar, sodium, and fat in fresh&easy Goodness products and has made sure the products contain no artificial sweeteners and no added caffeine.

"We fundamentally believe every family deserves access to fresh, wholesome food at affordable prices," said Mason. "Everything we do derives from listening to our customers and one thing we've heard consistently from parents is that they are looking for ways to feed their children high-quality, nutritious foods without stretching their budgets. fresh&easy Goodness for kids offers an affordable and convenient solution for busy parents that won't break the bank."

fresh&easy Goodness products are made using wholesome, natural foods such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and other foods that are good sources of vitamins and minerals. Items in the range include classic kid favorites like breakfast cereals and macaroni & cheese, and easy-to-make microwavable meals and on-the-go snacks that are individually packaged and great for lunch boxes. Photos of fresh&easy Goodness products can be found at http://www.flickr.com/photos/freshandeasy/sets/72157624886761059/.

Mayor Sanders said, "We are happy to see Fresh & Easy continue to expand and hire in San Diego, bringing more nutritious and affordable food options to our neighborhoods."

Fresh & Easy has opened nine stores in California this month, including opening this store in San Diego and two additional stores in Oceanside today. The company has created 180 jobs this month.

About Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market

Fresh & Easy operates 168 stores in California, Arizona and Nevada and employs more than 4,000 employees. In addition to fresh prepared meals, meats and produce, Fresh & Easy offers everyone's favorite national brand products and household items, all at unbelievably low prices. The grocer's popular fresh&easy brand products contain no artificial colors or flavors, no added trans fats, no high-fructose corn syrup and use preservatives only when absolutely necessary.

On average, Fresh & Easy stores use 30% less energy than a typical supermarket – helping save customers money while helping the environment. Fresh & Easy uses LED lighting in external signs and freezer cases, offers customer recycling in every store, and uses advanced refrigeration and freezer units to cut back on energy usage.

Entry-level positions start at $10 an hour in California and offer quarterly bonuses of up to 10% as well as a 401(k) with company match. Fresh & Easy provides all employees the opportunity to work at least 20 hours per week, which entitles everyone to vision, prescription drug, dental and medical coverage with Fresh & Easy paying at least 75%.  

For more information about Fresh & Easy, visit www.freshandeasy.com. Also follow the company on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/fresh_and_easy and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/freshandeasy.  

SOURCE Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market