Murray's Cheese and Kroger Team Members Earn the American Cheese Society's Prestigious Certified Cheese Professional® Credential

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Sep 13, 2016, 10:00 ET

NEW YORK and CINCINNATI, Sept. 13, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) and Murray's Cheese announced today that 29 team members have been named Certified Cheese Professionals® by the American Cheese Society (ACS). They are part of an elite group of 155 individuals who passed the 6th ACS Certified Cheese Professional® Exam on July 27, 2016 in Des Moines, Iowa. ACS CCPs® now total 740 individuals in the United States, Canada, and Europe.

The ACS Certified Cheese Professional® Exam is the first and only exam of its kind. It was launched by the ACS in 2012 to encourage high standards of comprehensive cheese knowledge and service for all areas of the industry. Testing encompasses a broad range of topics, including raw ingredients, the cheesemaking process, storing and handling cheese, marketing and communications, nutrition, regulations and sanitation.

"We congratulate these individuals on this tremendous professional accomplishment. We are incredibly proud of the cheese professionals who have earned the designation of Certified Cheese Professional," said Nora Weiser, Executive Director of the American Cheese Society. "The level of understanding and professionalism that ACS CCPs bring to the industry benefits everyone from the cheesemaker to the consumer, and elevates an already thriving artisan cheese industry to an entirely new level."

"I'm so proud of our new CCPs for their dedication and thankful to Kroger for their support of our team members across the country," said Rob Kaufelt, Murray's Cheese Owner and President. "The ACS has taken tremendous steps to create opportunities for growth and enhancement among cheese professionals. It's truly rewarding and we're all grateful for this recognition."

This year's Certified Cheese Professionals® from Kroger and Murray's Cheese are:

Audrey Aponte – Murray's Cheese, New York City	Nathan Larsen – Kroger, Columbus, OH
Jean Bollinger – Kroger, Cincinnati, OH	Stephen Lindley – Murray's Cheese, New York City
Janice Bonner – Kroger, Nashville, TN	Becky Nawrocki – Murray's Cheese, New York City
Lisa Calkins – Fry's, Phoenix, AZ	Wendy Reichenbach – Ralph's, Los Angeles, CA
Christine Clark – Murray's Cheese, New York City	Spencer Riggan – Fred Meyer, Bothell, WA
Liam Devlin – QFC, Kirkland, WA	Ezekial Rodriguez – King Soopers, Littleton, CO
Zach England – King Soopers, Littleton, CO	Patrick Rooney – Dillons, Wichita, KS
Chad Farmer Davis – Kroger, Cincinnati, OH	Diane Rudolph – Kroger, Atlanta, GA
Ashley Fisher – Fred Meyer, Bothell, WA	Sabrina Simpson – Murray's Cheese, New York City
Adam Goddu – Murray's Cheese, New York City	Timothy Stauffer – QFC, Kirkland, WA
Denise Graziani – Kroger, Michigan	Meghan Stone – Kroger, Cincinnati, OH
Daniel Helm – Kroger, Louisville, KY	Greg Trevino – Fred Meyer, Bothell, WA
Seth Johnson – King Soopers, Littleton, CO	Douglas Vaughn – Kroger, Cincinnati, OH
Sara Knickerbocker – Dillons, Wichita, KS	Marta Zubar – Kroger, Michigan

To learn more about the Certified Cheese Professional® Exam, visit www.certifiedcheeseprofessional.org.

About Murray's Cheese:
Founded in 1940 in the heart of Greenwich Village, Murray's Cheese is New York's most beloved cheese shop. The mission of Murray's Cheese is to bring the best cheese selection to the United States and to educate customers about cheese. Murray's flagship stores on Bleecker Street and at Grand Central Terminal offer hundreds of domestic and imported artisan cheeses, along with a large selection of specialty goods. Follow Murray's on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @MurraysCheese.

About Kroger:
Every day, the Kroger Family of Companies makes a difference in the lives of eight and a half million customers and 431,000 associates who shop or serve in 2,778 retail food stores under a variety of local banner names in 35 states and the District of Columbia. Kroger and its subsidiaries operate an expanding ClickList offering – a personalized, order online, pick up at the store service – in addition to 2,230 pharmacies, 785 convenience stores, 323 fine jewelry stores, 1,400 supermarket fuel centers and 38 food production plants in the United States. Kroger is recognized as one of America's most generous companies for its support of more than 100 Feeding America food bank partners, breast cancer research and awareness, the military and their families, and more than 145,000 community organizations including schools. A leader in supplier diversity, Kroger is a proud member of the Billion Dollar Roundtable.

About the American Cheese Society (ACS)
ACS is the leading organization supporting the understanding, appreciation, and promotion of artisan, farmstead, and specialty cheeses produced in the Americas. At nearly 1,700 members strong, ACS provides advocacy, education, business development, and networking opportunities for cheesemakers, retailers, enthusiasts, and extended industry. ACS strives to continually raise the quality and availability of cheese in the Americas.

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SOURCE The Kroger Co.