U.S. EPA Honors Two Food Lion Stores With 2011 Gold-Level GreenChill Store Certification Award

Two Food Lion stores have earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's 2011 Gold-Level GreenChill Store Certification Award, one of the agency's highest honors for refrigeration. The stores are located at 4489 Highway 20 Southeast in Conyers, Ga., and 4760 Hardscrabble Road in Columbia, S.C.

"Today's announcement reinforces Food Lion's commitment to being a responsible corporate citizen by conserving energy and protecting the environment," said Rick LaCroix, market vice president for Food Lion's Southeastern markets. "We are honored to receive this award, and look forward to continuing to serve our communities."

Food Lion became a founding partner with the EPA's GreenChill program in 2007. Since that time, the grocer joined other food retailers to reduce refrigerant emissions and decrease impact on the ozone layer and climate change. Food Lion has won GreenChill's Distinguished Partner Award and its Superior Environmental Achievement Award in the past.

"Food Lion's Conyers, Ga., and Columbia, S.C., stores are proof positive of Food Lion's belief that protecting the environment is not a 'once and done' thing," said Keilly Witman, Manager of EPA's GreenChill Partnership. "Food Lion works very hard to protect the environment, year after year. Customers should be proud to know that Food Lion shares their environmental values."

Food Lion has pioneered various technologies that save energy and reduce harmful refrigerant leaks, from GreenChill to building two Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Certified stores in both North Carolina and South Carolina.

"Our company is committed to going beyond simply reducing refrigerants," said Susan Sollenberger, director of energy, maintenance and equipment purchasing at Delhaize America South. "In addition to reducing emissions through the EPA's GreenChill partnership, we continue to look for new environmentally-friendly technologies and increase the amount of stores that are also ENERGY STAR certified."

Food Lion has more than half of the nation's ENERGY STAR stores, with 1015 certified stores. In addition, the company has partnered with utilities to evaluate a variety of energy saving opportunities, such as solar power.

About Food Lion

The Food Lion family of supermarkets, based in Salisbury, N.C., operates more than 1,200 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 62,500 associates in 11 Southeast and Mid-Atlantic states. For more information, visit www.foodlion.com.

About EPA's GreenChill Partnership

EPA's GreenChill Partnership works with supermarkets to reduce refrigerant emissions and decrease their impact on the ozone layer and climate change. The Partnership provides information and assistance to help supermarkets transition to environmentally friendlier refrigerants; reduce harmful refrigerant emissions; and adopt green refrigeration technologies and practices. For more information on EPA's GreenChill Partnership, including its store certification program, please visit www.epa.gov/greenchill.