Ralphs/Food 4 Less Join Haitian Earthquake Relief Efforts

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Supermarket partners Ralphs and Food 4 Less announced today that their stores will accept donations from customers to support the Red Cross' Haitian earthquake relief efforts.

The supermarket chains are establishing collection points in all of their Ralphs stores in Southern California, Food 4 Less stores in Southern California, Las Vegas, Illinois and Indiana, and Foods Co stores in Central and Northern California where customers can make cash donations. Donations will be accepted beginning today through January 30, 2010 with all funds collected going directly to the American Red Cross for its Haitian earthquake relief efforts.

Customers can support the Red Cross' efforts to bring aid to the earthquake victims by donating their spare change in specially marked collection canisters located at the checkstands in their neighborhood Ralphs, Food 4 Less and Foods Co stores.

"The devastation caused by the earthquake in Haiti has touched all of us. We have learned that many of our customers and team members have relatives in Haiti who have been affected by the earthquake," said Mike Donnelly, President of Ralphs Supermarkets. "Our fund-raising effort in support of the America Red Cross will provide our customers and team members the opportunity to help the victims of this terrible natural disaster."

Added Dave Hirz, President of Food 4 Less/Foods Co, "It's our hope that our donations will help the Red Cross provide much needed assistance to the earthquake victims in Haiti. We are proud to be able to assist the Red Cross with its earthquake relief efforts."

Ralphs and Food 4 Less have a history of contributing and raising funds to assist victims of disasters, including the 2005 South Asia tsunami relief effort, the Southern California wildfires of 2003, Hurricane Katrina, the September 11th terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C., and the 1994 Northridge earthquake.

Ralphs and Food 4 Less believe in being good corporate citizens by contributing to the diverse communities they serve. Last year, Ralphs and Food 4 Less provided more than $8 million in cash and in-kind donations to organizations focused on health, education, the fight against hunger and developing our youth.

About Ralphs

Ralphs Grocery Company was founded in 1873 and currently operates 259 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 about Ralphs, please visit our web site at www.ralphs.com.

About Food 4 Less

Food 4 Less operates 146 price-impact, warehouse-format supermarkets under the banners Food 4 Less in Southern California and Nevada, and Foods Co in Northern California, from its headquarters in Los Angeles. Food 4 Less is a division of The Kroger Co., (NYSE: KR), one of the nation's largest grocery retailers, headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. For more information about Food 4 Less, please visit our website at www.food4less.com.

SOURCE Ralphs/Food 4 Less