Kroger and Kipster Farms Announce Plans to Bring the World's First Carbon-Neutral Eggs to U.S. Customers

CINCINNATI and THE NETHERLANDS, Dec. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), America's largest grocery retailer, and Kipster Farms, the award-winning egg production system founded in The Netherlands, announced today a strategic partnership to bring the world's first carbon-neutral, cage-free eggs to retail shelves in the U.S.

"Simple Truth is excited to partner with the innovative team at Kipster to further elevate our brand's purpose to be a force for good," said Brad Studer, senior director, Our Brands for Kroger. "These Simple Truth and Kipster eggs will be produced in a closed-loop system that aligns with the highest health and welfare standards for people and animals. These sustainable, zero-waste eggs reflect yet another milestone in Kroger's Zero Hunger | Zero Waste mission to help create communities free of hunger and waste."

MPS Egg Farms, a long-standing Kroger partner based in North Manchester, IN, recently started construction on the first production facility using the proprietary Kipster system.

Information about the Kipster system:

• Uses the highest standards of animal welfare, providing a cage-free, natural-like wooded environment with plenty of variety, daylight and outdoor scurrying space
  
  
• Uses chicken feed made from surplus food from bakeries and other food producers, reducing climate impacts vs. standard feed 
  
  
• Minimizes fine particle emissions, resulting in better air quality for farmers and animals
  
  
• Powered by rooftop solar panels

Kipster aims to help create a food system in which animals do not pollute but rather help clean up byproducts of food production. In this way, chickens upcycle food waste into eggs, meat and fertile manure. Kipster is the only poultry farmer in the world to farm with such a high level of circularity.

The new Simple Truth eggs will further expand the brand's line of natural and more sustainable choices as part of Kroger's Our Brands product portfolio. Simple Truth and Kipster eggs are expected to be available in select stores in late 2022.

The innovative partnership advances Kroger's Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) strategy – Thriving Together – which articulates the company's commitment to driving positive changes for people, the planet and natural systems. It also reflects the latest progress on the company's phased transition to cage-free eggs. More information is available in Kroger's 2021 ESG Report.

About The Kroger Co.
At The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), we are Fresh for Everyone™ and dedicated to our Purpose: To Feed the Human Spirit®. We are, across our family of companies, nearly half a million associates who serve over 11 million customers daily through a seamless shopping experience under a variety of banner names. We are committed to creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities by 2025. To learn more about us, visit our newsroom and investor relations site.

About Kipster Farms
At Kipster we find ways to feed the world population in an honest way, with respect for all living things, and without passing the cost on to future generations. Our dream is a sustainable and healthy world in which all people and animals can live with dignity. Investing in Kipster and buying our products means helping to make this dream come true.

SOURCE The Kroger Co.