Parents Find 'Comforts' With College Costs

Ralphs Comforts Brand offers chance to win $10,000 for baby or toddler's college fund

LOS ANGELES, June 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Moms and dads looking for ways to stretch their household budget are getting a boost from Comforts(R), a line of products for babies and toddlers made and marketed by Ralphs and its parent company, The Kroger Co.

Comforts is expanding its product line-up, offering a wide variety of quality products parents want for their children. To help launch the new initiative, parents are invited to enter a special contest for a chance to win a $10,000 scholarship from Comforts for their child's college fund.

"In today's tough economic times, trimming just a few dollars off the products parents buy and use every day for their children can make a big difference," said Mike Donnelly, president of Ralphs. "Getting a jump on future costs, such as a college education, is smart too. That's why Comforts is offering this special contest to celebrate its new launch."

Name the Firefly Contest to Win College Funds

The Comforts product line and packaging have been re-designed and each product package now carries the brand's new memorable and approachable icon - a happy, yellow firefly. To celebrate its new look and expanded line, Comforts is inviting parents to help name the friendly firefly. The winner will receive $10,000 to help with future education expenses. The funds will be placed in a college savings plan or 529 plans.

"This is our way of telling parents that Comforts understands their daily needs and their future hopes and aspirations for their children too," said Donnelly. "The Comforts brand is all about helping parents meet the needs of their children with high quality products at reasonable prices."

Parents can enter the contest now through July 31, 2009. Names will be judged by the following qualities - most inventive, appropriateness to campaign theme and most compelling. Eligible entries will be judged by an independent judging organization. Entrants must be 18 years of age or older and have a child under the age of two years at entry date. To learn full contest rules and how to enter, please visit: www.comfortsforbaby.com.

According to The College Board the average cost for tuition and fees is $6,585. Combined with room and board the total is $14,333.*

The Comforts Line-Up

Comforts is sold exclusively and Kroger family stores including Ralphs. The Comforts line-up includes many of the products new parents need during the first years of their child's life. They include infant formula, toddler snacks and juices, diapers and wipes, shampoo and skin care products and product such as bottles, pacifiers, spoons and bowls. Several new Comforts products were introduced recently and include finger foods, cereal bars, probiotic formula and baby wipes for sensitive skin.

The savings between Comforts and other premium brands can be up to 30 percent, depending on the product and any special promotions. Comforts are made not just with price in mind, but quality too. Infant formula products meet the nutritional levels recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the U.S. National Academy of Science-National Research.

About Ralphs

Ralphs Grocery Company was founded in 1873 and currently operates more than 260 supermarkets from its headquarters in Los Angeles. The company is a division of The Kroger Co., (NYSE: KR), one of the nation's largest food retailers, based in Cincinnati, Ohio. For more information about Ralphs, please visit our website at www.ralphs.com.

* These figures represent the average one-year cost of in-state tuition at a four-year public college or university from The College Board's "Trends in College Pricing" report released in October 2008.

SOURCE Ralphs Grocery Company