Food Lion Launches Six New Stores in Greenville, S.C., Offering Customers Low Prices, Excellent Customer Service and an Easy and Convenient Shopping Experience

SALISBURY, N.C., July 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Food Lion will unveil its new stores for customers in Greenville, S.C., on Wednesday, July 20. Ribbon-cutting ceremonies will take place at six area stores starting at 8 a.m.

"Food Lion will provide Greenville shoppers low prices on a wide assortment of products to feed their families," said James Egan, senior vice president of Food Lion. "We invite customers to visit our stores to discover our simple and easy shopping environment, and take advantage of our low prices and attractive product assortment, including high quality private brand products."

Food Lion's grand opening festivities include weekly specials, grocery gift card giveaways up to $250 and radio remotes that feature in-store shopping sprees during the four-week period. The Food Lion stores are located at the following former Bloom locations in the Greenville, S.C. area:

• 1332 South Pleasantburg Drive, Greenville, S.C.*
• 3750 Highway 81 North, Anderson, S.C.*
• 1207 West Wade Hampton Boulevard, Greer, S.C.*
• 1004 West Georgia Road, Simpsonville, S.C.*

*Note: Shopping sprees will be held at the above locations on Wednesday, July 20, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

• 3093 South Highway 14, Greer, S.C., with a shopping spree schedule on Saturday, July 23, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• 1085-D Old Clemson Highway, Seneca, S.C., with a shopping spree schedule on Wednesday, July 27, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

"As part of the transition to Food Lion, we've listened to former Bloom guests to maintain as many of the key products as possible," Egan added. "Food Lion stores will feature popular natural and organic products, along with fresh seafood, produce and other specialty items. In addition, Bloom guests will enjoy the same friendly and dependable associates, as most of the Bloom associates have joined our Food Lion family so they may continue to serve their loyal customers."

Food Lion stores in the Greenville, S.C., market will feature a large fresh produce department, a deli/bakery with specialty meats, cheeses and breads, and decorated cakes, organic and natural products, and a large meat department featuring Butcher's Brand Premium Beef ®, fresh pork, poultry, seafood, and a large assortment of grocery items, including our family of store brands. The new stores also offer Western Union services, Rug Doctor rentals, Blue Rhino propane exchange, and a Coinstar kiosk.

"We encourage Greenville Food Lion customers to take advantage of the company's savings and coupon programs," said Kevin Hill, Food Lion's southwest market vice president, which includes the Greenville area. "Customers can enroll in Food Lion's loyalty card program called MVP. To date, Food Lion's MVP customers have saved more than $1 billion dollars by shopping our weekly specials."

Food Lion also offers many other ways to save money in its stores, including a "MVP Savings Center," which is a coupon kiosk where customers can get daily coupons for in-store use that day, as well as enroll in its weekly e-mail program. In addition, Food Lion honors manufacturers and Internet coupons in compliance with its coupon policy.

"At Food Lion, we also become an integral part of any community in which we operate," Hill added. "We support a variety of community-based programs, including hunger-relief efforts. We took our first step today with more than $6,000 in donations to local non-profit organizations and schools."

Organizations in the Greenville area that will benefit from these donations include Blue Ridge Elementary, Chandler Creek Elementary, Highland Park Elementary, Plain Elementary School, Ravanel Elementary, Thomas Kern Elementary School, Woodland Elementary, Greer Middle College Charter High School, Riverside High School, the YMCA of Greenville and Simpsonville Center for Community Services. Each group will receive a $500 donation.

Food Lion opened its first South Carolina store in Columbia, S.C., on April 18, 1977. Since that time, the company has grown to more than 151 stores in the state.

About Food Lion

The Food Lion family of supermarkets, based in Salisbury, N.C., operates more than 1,300 supermarkets, either directly or through affiliated entities, under the names of Food Lion, Harveys or Reid's. These stores meet local customer needs and preferences for the freshest and best quality products. The Food Lion family employs approximately 74,000 associates in 11 Southeast and Mid-Atlantic states.

SOURCE Food Lion