Energy-Saving Programs at Ralphs Help Earn 2018 ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year Award

LOS ANGELES, April 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Energy savings technologies and programs implemented at nine Ralphs grocery stores have played a key role in parent company Kroger receiving the 2018 ENERGY STAR^® Partner of the Year Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Energy. 

Kroger earned the award for prioritizing ENERGY STAR best practices in its energy management strategy and for its continued commitment to energy reduction. Part of Kroger's commitment to energy reduction is encouraging our stores to use technologies that earn ENERGY STAR building certifications.

Currently, 793 Kroger-operated supermarkets, including nine Ralphs stores, have received the ENERGY STAR designation. Buildings that earn the ENERGY STAR label rate in the top 25 percent of facilities in the nation for energy efficiency and performance.

The nine Ralphs stores that have earned the ENERGY STAR label are in Sunhill, Porter Ranch, Citrus Plaza, Indian Wells, Smoketree, San Fernando, Carson, Bermuda Dunes and Burbank.

To receive the ENERGY STAR label, these stores have utilized a variety of practices and technologies to reduce energy use, including LED lighting, motion sensors, variable speed drives, anti-sweat heat controls, distributed refrigeration systems, heat reclaim systems, night-time lighting controls, building and refrigeration control systems, and high efficiency lamps and ballasts. Other energy-saving features include refrigeration case controls, digital scroll compressors, demand defrost and demand-control ventilation. Ralphs store associates are also engaged in energy savings initiatives.

"Protecting health and the environment is important for Ralphs, and our associates care deeply about doing their part. One of our top priorities is to be a zero waste company," said Valerie Jabbar, Ralphs President. "In keeping with our zero waste priority, we continue to be vigilant in maintaining and improving reduction in our electricity usage and we will continue to seek the ENERGY STAR certification for our stores."

As part of Ralphs sustainability goals, the company is seeking to reduce energy consumption in its stores by 40 percent by 2020. Included in that reduction is the company's continued use of its on-site anaerobic digester, which converts food waste to biogas that helps power its distribution center. The digester has been operating for nearly five years and offsets the company's usage of power. 

"Ralphs has made a commitment to be a responsible steward of the environment as is outlined in our Zero Hunger | Zero Waste initiative," said Myeisha Gamiño, Ralphs' Corporate Affairs Director. "Helping our stores improve their energy efficiency and earn the ENERGY STAR designation is a big part of Ralphs' commitment to reducing our waste and energy consumption. We are very happy around Earth Day to receive this recognition and are committed to doing even more in service of both our customers and our planet."

Ralphs and Kroger use the EPA's ENERGY STAR program to track and assess energy consumption, including benchmarking building energy performance, assessing energy management goals and identifying opportunities for savings. 

About Ralphs
At Ralphs Grocery Company we are dedicated to our purpose: to Feed the Human Spirit ™. We are more than 22,000 associates serving our customers in 191 supermarkets across Southern California from our headquarters in Los Angeles County. Ralphs is a recognized leader in community service and giving. Last year, we contributed more than $6 million to support education, hunger relief, women's health and local nonprofit organizations in the communities served by the company's stores. Ralphs is a subsidiary of The Kroger Co., (NYSE:KR), one of the world's largest retailers, based in Cincinnati, Ohio. For more about Ralphs, please visit our web site at www.ralphs.com.

SOURCE Ralphs Grocery Company