ADM Unveils New Customer Creation and Innovation Center in the UK to Further Develop Food Innovation Capabilities
ROLLE — ADM (NYSE: ADM), a global leader in human and animal nutrition, announced today the opening of a new Customer Creation and Innovation Center (CCIC) in Manchester, England, serving as a UK hub for food innovation and building upon ADM’s strong presence in the UK. With a state-of-the-art kitchen, chef’s presentation theater and flavor development lab, ADM is expanding its culinary capabilities and food solutions into new savory culinary innovations for the UK, in addition to providing continued support for the beverage, sweet goods and dairy sectors.
Bringing together the new local facility and technology with ADM’s full global pantry of ingredients and solutions enables ADM chefs, food scientists and flavorists to provide unique expertise into the growing alternative protein arena, developing pioneering savory plant-based product offerings that meet consumers’ high sensory expectations and evolving wellness demands.
The 800 square-meter CCIC cultivates collaboration with customers – from food manufacturers to foodservice – fostering innovative development in on-trend savory applications, as well as sweet goods, dairy and alternative dairy products, beverages and more.
“The opening of our new Customer Creation and Innovation Center provides a unique synergistic space to further our commitment to push the boundaries of food and beverage formulation, while also delivering on authentic culinary experiences,” said Chris Poole, Managing Director, ADM. “And with the UK market on track for steady growth in 2023 and beyond, ADM is perfectly positioned to service all our customers’ needs.”
The new CCIC demonstrates ADM’s continued dedication to nutrition innovation that can support the needs of a growing population and future generations, as the company also announced this year the opening of a probiotic facility in Valencia, Spain and a partnership with Marel to build a taste and texture innovation center for the alternative protein space in the Netherlands. Each of these investments expands the connection and integration of ADM’s global capabilities, supporting manufacturers in bringing future-forward offerings that meet consumers’ demands of tomorrow, today.
About ADM
ADM unlocks the power of nature to enrich the quality of life. We’re a premier global human and animal nutrition company, delivering solutions today with an eye to the future. We’re blazing new trails in health and well-being as our scientists develop groundbreaking products to support healthier living. We’re a cutting-edge innovator leading the way to a new future of plant-based consumer and industrial solutions to replace petroleum-based products. We’re an unmatched agricultural supply chain manager and processor, providing food security by connecting local needs with global capabilities. And we’re a leader in sustainability, scaling across entire value chains to help decarbonize our industry and safeguard our planet. From the seed of the idea to the outcome of the solution, we give customers an edge in solving the nutritional and sustainability challenges of today and tomorrow. Learn more at www.adm.com.
ADM Media Relations
Ana Paula Cruz
media-eu@adm.com
+41 21 702 8400
Kroger Health and EVERFI Educate More Than 100,000 High School Students Through their Digital Prescription Safety Curriculum
CINCINNATI, April 14, 2023 — Kroger Health, the healthcare business of The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), and EVERFI from Blackbaud, the leading social-impact education innovator, today released updated program results stemming from the companies’ joint Prescription Drug Safety education curriculum for high school students. The collaboration is celebrating its fifth anniversary and has grown to include 14 geographies across the U.S., reaching more than 100,000 students in 1,300 schools.
Since 2018, Kroger Health and EVERFI have worked together in efforts to reduce the number of young adults misusing prescription medications, with a focus on reducing opioid-related deaths in the U.S. The Prescription Drug Safety curriculum is a valuable resource, sharing information about the potential for prescription medication misuse as well as tools students can use to make safe decisions and understand early warning signs of addiction.
As a result of taking part in this program, over the last five years:
80% of students can identify signs of prescription drug misuse;
83% of students understand various ways to refuse to participate in misuse of prescription drugs; and
79% of students now feel confident in their ability to step in to help someone who demonstrates the signs of misusing or abusing prescription drugs
“Through the Prescription Drug Safety education curriculum, we’ve educated more than 100,000 students, helping them recognize warning signs and providing resources to support friends who may be abusing or misusing prescription drugs,” said Colleen Lindholz, president, Kroger Health. “Our goal is to give these students the knowledge and access to resources about drug misuse, empowering them to make choices that will help them lead healthier lives.”
The Prescription Drug Safety education curriculum focuses on educating students and encouraging them to make safe decisions around prescription medications. The curriculum focuses on future behavioral intentions, as students can be exposed to difficult situations and choices throughout high school and beyond.
“Our Prescription Drug Safety curriculum provides students with important information about appropriate prescription drug use and how to avoid or recognize the warning signs of misuse,” said Jon Chapman, president and co-founder, EVERFI. “With such an interactive and engaging program design, students are learning information that they can take into their lives beyond the classroom to inform healthy choices for the rest of their lives.”
About Kroger:
At The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), we are 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 digital shopping experience and retail food stores under a variety of banner names, serving America through food inspiration and uplift, and creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities by 2025. To learn more about us, visit our newsroom and investor relations site.
About Kroger Health:
Kroger Health, the healthcare division of The Kroger Co., is one of America’s leading retail healthcare organizations. Kroger Health and the Kroger Family of Pharmacies and clinics operate more than 2,200 pharmacies and 226 clinics in 35 states serving more than 17 million customers annually. Our team of 24,000 associates, including pharmacists, nurse practitioners dietitians and technicians, believe in practicing at the top of our licenses, enabling “food as medicine” to help prevent disease before it starts, and helping people live healthier lives. For more information, visit www.kroger.com/health.
About EVERFI:
EVERFI from Blackbaud (NASDAQ: BLKB) is an international technology company driving social impact through education to address the most challenging issues affecting society ranging from financial wellness to mental health to workplace conduct and other critical topics. Founded in 2008, EVERFI’s Impact-as-a-Service™ solution and digital educational content have reached more than 45 million learners globally. In 2020, the company was recognized as one of the World’s Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company and was featured on Fortune Magazine’s Impact 20 List. The company was also named to the 2021 GSV EdTech 150, a list of the most transformative growth companies in digital learning. Blackbaud, the leading provider of software for powering social impact, acquired EVERFI in December 2021. To learn more about EVERFI, please visit everfi.com or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or Twitter @EVERFI.
PEPSICO Introduces New Packaging Goal, Doubling Down On Scaling Reusable Packaging Options
PURCHASE, N.Y., Dec. 5, 2022 — PepsiCo (NASDAQ: PEP) today announced a global packaging goal intended to double the percentage of all beverage servings it sells delivered through reusable models from 10 to 20 percent by 2030. This ambition is part of PepsiCo Positive (pep+), the company’s strategic, end-to-end business transformation that puts sustainability and people at the center of how the company will create growth and value.
Offering its iconic beverages in reusable packaging and on innovative platforms that eliminate the need for single-use virgin plastic is not new to PepsiCo – it has been an important element of the company’s Sustainable Packaging Vision since 2018, when PepsiCo invested over $3.2B to acquire SodaStream, the world’s leading reuse platform, and expressed its commitment to a circular economy for plastics by joining the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment. Reuse is also a critical lever to meet PepsiCo’s goals to reduce virgin plastic per serving by 50% by 2030 and to become Net Zero by 2040, and progress toward these goals will also be driven – in partnership with our bottlers – by increasing recycled content in our packaging.
Aligned with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s “Reuse – Rethinking Packaging” framework, PepsiCo will pursue four approaches to achieve its new packaging goal, including expanding its SodaStream business, both at home and in workplaces through SodaStream Professional; building out its refillable plastic (PET) and glass bottle offerings in partnership with PepsiCo bottlers; growing its fountain drinks business with reusable cups; and accelerating growth in powders and concentrates.
PepsiCo has more than 80 markets around the world offering reusable packaging solutions, including:
The widespread international availability of SodaStream and SodaStream Professional, and its continued growth, enables consumers to reinvent how they consume some of the world’s most loved beverage brands and personalize their choices in reusable containers, potentially eliminating the need for more than 200 billion plastic bottles by 2030.
Refillable and returnable glass and plastic programs in major markets including Mexico, Guatemala, Colombia, Chile, Germany and the Philippines.
Many of our brands, including Gatorade, Propel, Muscle Milk and Evolve, are offered as concentrated powders or tablets to allow consumers to customize the drink to their preferences in their own containers.
“Fundamentally transforming the traditional beverage consumption model will require making reusable and refillable options accessible and convenient, at scale, for consumers – and that’s what PepsiCo aims to do,” said Jim Andrew, Chief Sustainability Officer, PepsiCo. “PepsiCo will accelerate our investment in disruptive innovation and advocate for policies that allow us to scale up reusable packaging options, platforms and programs so that we can offer consumers a wide variety of alternative ways to enjoy their favorite beverages while moving away from reliance on single-use packaging.”
“We know we cannot recycle our way out of this plastic pollution crisis,” said Sander Defruyt, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Plastic Initiative Lead. “By avoiding single-use packaging waste in the first place, reuse business models are an important part of creating a circular economy. Our latest Global Commitment report illustrated the lack of progress on reuse across the industry, and highlighted a lack of ambition when it comes to reuse strategies. We welcome this significant step forward by PepsiCo and we hope other global brands will follow suit and similarly set quantitative reuse targets helping to reduce their use of virgin plastics in packaging.”
PepsiCo will continue working with multiple partners to develop new infrastructure to support reuse and refill models. Most recently, PepsiCo joined the Closed Loop Partners NextGen Consortium. Through the consortium, it is working collaboratively with stakeholders across the value chain to design and test new models to enable the scale up of reusable cups, a critical component of supporting a reuse infrastructure alongside beverage fountains.
Press Contact
PepsiCoMediaRelations@pepsico.com
About PepsiCo
PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $79 billion in net revenue in 2021, driven by a complementary beverage and convenient foods portfolio that includes Lay’s, Doritos, Cheetos, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, Quaker, and SodaStream. PepsiCo’s product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including many iconic brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.
Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Beverages and Convenient Foods by Winning with PepsiCo Positive (pep+). pep+ is our strategic end-to-end transformation that puts sustainability and human capital at the center of how we will create value and growth by operating within planetary boundaries and inspiring positive change for planet and people. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com, and follow on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn @PepsiCo.
Berlin Ministerial Conference “Uniting for Global Food Security“ – Conclusions by the Chairs
GENEVA, 24 June 2022 — In the run-up to the upcoming G7 Summit at Schloss Elmau, governments, international and regional organizations, multilateral development banks, non-governmental organizations and philanthropists came together in Berlin today to unite for global food security – to take stock of progress made in joint efforts to overcome the global food security crisis, and to join forces in moving ahead in this common endeavor.
The reports by the United Nations Secretary-General’s Global Crisis Response Group on Food, Energy and Finance paint a dramatic picture: of the 1.7 billion people in 107 states impacted by this crisis, 1.2 billion people will be exposed to a perfect storm of the three dimensions of the crisis – constrained finances, sharply increasing food prices, and increasing energy prices. This comes on top of intense droughts in places like the Horn of Africa, and hunger being used as a weapon of war in various conflict areas throughout the world.
Participants noted with grave concern that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is putting food security and nutrition for millions of women, children and men at risk and is further exacerbating the already dire situation regarding global food security, caused amongst others by armed conflicts, climate change and the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Participants shared the conviction that this multi-dimensional crisis requires a joint and effective global response combining diplomacy, humanitarian assistance, development cooperation as well as agricultural and food policies.
Discussions were guided by the conviction that short- and medium-term support must be programmed in a way that leads to a long-term sustainable transformation of agriculture and food systems. It needs to strengthen resilience and thereby reduce humanitarian needs, boost sustainable local production, diversify crops and thereby reduce dependencies on imports.
Participants signaled their readiness to assume responsibility and to continue to cooperate closely in achieving a common goal.
I. Taking stock of progress made
Participants took stock of progress made since February 2022 in the effort to mitigate the global food security crisis.
They welcomed the leadership of the United Nations Secretary-General to coordinate efforts to overcome the crisis through the Global Crisis Response Group on Food, Energy, and Finance.
They also welcomed the G7’s response to the crisis, including most prominently the creation of the Global Alliance for Food Security and the substantive preparations for the upcoming G7 Summit. The Global Alliance for Food Security is designed to be a key platform to foster cooperation, guided by the shared belief that governments, international organizations, multilateral development banks, civil society, the private sector, science and philanthropist organizations must work together to weather this storm.
They welcomed initiatives taken by the African Union for the elimination of hunger and food insecurity in Africa under the Senegalese Presidency, recalling the African Union theme of the year 2022 Strengthening Resilience in Nutrition and Food Security on the African Continent and the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Programme.
Participants renewed their commitment to the roadmap agreed in the framework of the Global Food Security Call to Action organized by the United States in New York on 18 May 2022. Participants called on additional countries to sign the Roadmap and to continue implementing its commitments. They took note of the importance of the Food and Agriculture Resilience Mission (FARM) announced by France, and recalled the outreach to Mediterranean countries through the Mediterranean Ministerial Dialogue on the Food Crisis organized by Italy on 8 June 2022.
Participants looked forward to addressing food security as a core component of agriculture, social, economic, and environmental development under Indonesia’s G20 Presidency. They recalled the G20 Matera Declaration on Food Security, Nutrition and Food Systems promoted under the preceding Italian G20 Presidency.
Participants welcomed the International Financial Institution Action Plan to Address Food Insecurity and the commitment of the multilateral development banks to increase and frontload policy and financial support to countries and households vulnerable to the food security crisis. They underlined the need to sustainably increase local agricultural production in affected countries in line with a transition to sustainable agriculture and food systems.
Referring to the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit, participants emphasized the need to pursue the transformation of agriculture and food systems with increased focus towards more sustainability. The key objective remains to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
II. Moving ahead
Participants committed to supporting the United Nations Secretary-General’s efforts to alleviate the global food security crisis through the Global Crisis Response Group on Food, Energy, and Finance.
As a global crisis requires a global response, they committed to forging strong partnerships within the Global Alliance for Food Security and beyond in order to make sure that nobody will be left behind. The Global Alliance for Food Security and its working groups will help to ensure a cohesive international response to the food security crisis and follow up on commitments made by Global Alliance participants.
Participants called on Russia to end the war in Ukraine immediately, to stop its threats to and blockade of Ukrainian ports and all other activities that hamper Ukrainian food production and exports, putting the lives of millions all over the world at risk.
In the short term, participants committed to support the humanitarian system wherever possible in providing urgent humanitarian assistance to people threatened by food insecurity, notably by reinforcing contributions to the World Food Programme and other humanitarian actors and by ensuring respect for humanitarian principles in all measures taken in response to the Russian aggression against Ukraine. Moreover, participants agreed on the need for applying an appropriate balance between humanitarian and development activities, depending on the operational context and needs, and in line with the Humanitarian Development Peace Nexus. Furthermore, participants agreed on the key role that all UN Rome based agencies – FAO, IFAD and WFP – play in driving the international community’s efforts to address food insecurity.
Participants underlined the importance of refraining from inappropriate measures that limit trade, and of avoiding unjustified measures, such as export bans on food or fertilizer, which increase market volatility and threaten food security and nutrition at a global scale.
They committed to continue their support to Ukraine in keeping up its agricultural production, storage, transport and processing, and to support Ukraine and its neighbors in developing additional export routes for agricultural goods in a speedy manner. They acknowledged the need, while doing this, to work on additional and new solutions to keep grain from going to waste.
Participants committed to continue their work on the necessary transformation towards sustainable agriculture and food systems and to support improvements in the global governance of agriculture and food systems, strengthening the role of the Committee on World Food Security as an inclusive and intergovernmental global platform to ensure food security and nutrition for all. The Global Agriculture and Food Security Program is an inclusive, flexible and demand driven multilateral financing instrument with a proven track record coordinating development initiatives at country level to support these efforts.
They underlined the importance of the progressive realization of the human right to adequate food as well as Sustainable Development Goal 2 (Zero Hunger by 2030). All people must be given an opportunity to realize that right. Civil society organizations expressed their willingness to contribute their experience to develop adequate long-term solutions to that goal.
Participants committed to fostering sustainable consumption and an increase in local production in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including the reduction of food loss and waste.
Participants shared the view that farmers need to adapt to climate change to safeguard food security. Moreover sustainable agricultural production should even contribute to the global protection of the climate, contribute to biodiversity, avoid negative impacts on the environment and strengthen the implementation of agroecological and regenerative practices. They underlined the need for locally adapted seeds of better quality and more efficient fertilizer use, including of non-fossil-based fertilizers, as well as access to digital options for farmers.
In order to be better prepared and to mitigate the implications of the next crisis, participants demonstrated readiness to step up capacities in information sharing and early warning, including the provision of additional means. They committed to focus on the goal of a sustainable transformation of agriculture and food systems. A strong and well-functioning multilateral system will be pivotal to reach our goals.
SOURCE United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
Egypt’s Ministry of Supply and Internal Trade Automates Wheat Silos Processes in Collaboration with IBM and ACME SAICO
CAIRO, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — IBM (NYSE: IBM), in collaboration with business partner ACME SAICO, today announced the automation of 22 wheat silos across Egypt by the end of this year using IBM AI-powered automation software. This supports the Ministry of Supply and Internal Trade’s plans to digitize the wheat supply chain and implement governance systems on the country’s strategic stock.
The Ministry of Supply and Internal Trade is a key ministry focused on achieving food security for Egypt. In line with the national plan for digital transformation, the Ministry of Supply and Internal Trade represented by the Egyptian Holding Company for Silos and Storage (EHCSS) selected IBM and ACME SAICO to create a platform powered by IBM’s AI-powered automation software in a hybrid cloud environment. Using IBM Cloud Pak for Business Automation and IBM Cloud Pak for Integration, the new solution will allow full automation and governance of all the steps of shipping, transport, storage, and supply of the wheat silos.
Through this advanced technology, the automated platform is engineered to collect data from different sensors that are embedded in the silos. These sensors will send near real-time quantitative analytics of the wheat supply and stock status to the main platform at the Ministry of Supply. Thus, the EHCSS will be able to monitor and store all information related to the incoming shipments to maintain quality standards, report accurate views of the stock in silos, as well as address leakage in wheat silos extensively. The system also designed to help to better manage the communication and coordination between different storage points, and mills.
“We are committed to expanding the wheat silos’ automation across the country. The automation enables us to instantly monitor the wheat stock through a digital platform, providing the needed visibility to secure the supply chain. The platform, powered by IBM technology, ensures efficiency, stock protection, in addition to addressing logistical redundancies. This project is part of Egypt’s digital transformation strategy to upgrade services ‘level and performance across all fields,” stated H.E. Dr. Ali El-Moselhi, Minister of Supply and Internal Trade.
“After renovating and increasing the number of silos across the nation, our goal was to build a digital platform to connect all silos with the main center at the EHCSS. Another goal was to automate the documentation processing of the wheat supply chain and monitoring process of the 22 silos and storage points,” added Major General Sherif Bassili, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Egyptian Holding Company for Silos & Storage.
“We are proud to be part of this strategic project that supports the country’s digital transformation journey. By offering IBM’s AI and hybrid cloud approach, we’re supporting Egypt to help them achieve its strategy for sustainable development as part of the country’s 2030 Vision,” said Wael Abdoush, General Manager, IBM Egypt
Dr. Khaled Derbala, CEO of ACME SAICO added: “We are honored to be part of this national achievement. After months of studying the nature of the food industry, we were able to create a robust and agile system to ensure more governance that doesn’t affect the flow of business. The Ministry was able to see the links between implementing their strategic plans and the tailored digital system we created with IBM.”
Earlier this year, the launch of the pilot model for the first automated wheat silo took place in Banha, Qualyubia Governorate. Following the success of the pilot, the Ministry decided to expand automation to 22 silos before the end of this year. All silos will be monitored from the Ministry headquarters and the General Authority for Supply Commodities through IBM Cognos Analytics with Watson connected to the automation platform in use.
As part of the sustainable development strategy of Egypt’s vision for 2030, the government is planning to automate 400 silos adding them to the wheat supply chain monitoring system.
About IBM
For more information about IBM please visit https://www.ibm.com/eg-en/cloud
Media Contact:
Nadine Hafez
nhafez@eg.ibm.com
PepsiCo Launches $50 Million Juntos Crecemos Platform to Support Hispanic-Owned Businesses Across the U.S.
PURCHASE, N.Y., Aug. 31, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ:PEP) today announced Juntos Crecemos, (Together We Grow), a $50 million platform aimed at strengthening Hispanic-owned businesses, specifically restaurants, bodegas and carnicerías (meat markets), addressing foundational business challenges, and supporting business growth over the next five years. Juntos Crecemos is part of PepsiCo’s Racial Equality Journey Hispanic Initiative, a $172 million set of commitments launched in October of last year.
According to a study by the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Hispanic-owned businesses alone contribute over $800 billion in economic activity and play a central role in their communities. According to a Stanford University survey, as a result of the pandemic, 86% of Hispanic small business owners reported significant negative impacts, including complete closure, and were only half as likely as their white counterparts to receive Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. This, coupled with the historic systemic barriers affecting wealth and educational attainment, contributes to smaller business income among Hispanic business owners according to research conducted by the Small Business Association.
“Juntos Crecemos and The PepsiCo Foundation IMPACTO Hispanic Business Accelerator bring our Racial Equality Journey and PepsiCo’s values to life,” said Esperanza Teasdale, VP & GM, Hispanic Business Unit, PepsiCo Beverages North America. “We’re proud and committed to supporting and elevating the voice of the Hispanic small business community that is impacted by systemic inequality.”
Benefits for Hispanic Small Business Owners
Small business owners participating in Juntos Crecemos will have access to the Hispanic Digital & Delivery Program, a customized eight-week consultation curriculum tailored to meet their specific needs, including helping them improve their online presence, delivery logistics, online ordering, and marketing practices. Participants will also have access to consultation from experts via office hours, where they will receive coaching and guidance on devising solutions for business challenges.
“Providing these resources is critical to delivering on our ambition to drive long-term change and address systemic barriers in communities that too often have been overlooked,” said Antonio Escalona, SVP & GM, Hispanic Business Unit, PepsiCo Foods North America. “This is only the beginning, and we are committed to working alongside these restaurants, bodegas, and carnicerías to propel their businesses forward.”
As part of the program, participating bodegas and carnicerías owners will also receive store essentials, including safety kits, consumer promotions and targeted digital media support. To help raise awareness of Juntos Crecemos and assist with implementation, PepsiCo has partnered with the Latino Food Industry Association (LFIA).
“Hispanic small business owners have disproportionately been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which is why we are excited to work with PepsiCo in bringing this much needed support to our community,” said Lupillo Ramirez, LFIA president. “Juntos Crecemos will provide valuable guidance and mentoring while connecting and uniting business owners across the country in sharing best practices.”
PepsiCo Foundation Support
As part of the Juntos Crecemos platform, The PepsiCo Foundation is officially launching the IMPACTO Hispanic Business Accelerator which will provide $10 million in funding to help 500 Hispanic small food and beverage business owners in 13 cities across the U.S. grow their enterprises over the next five years. It will also help these owners overcome systemic economic disparities and create economic opportunity within the community by providing business coaching in English and Spanish and other resources.
Today, The PepsiCo Foundation is announcing the first 150 IMPACTO grant recipients, including:
La Peña Restaurante in Chicago, IL,
De Mi Fogón in Houston, TX
Cuernavaca’s Grill in Los Angeles, CA
8 Burger in Miami, FL, and
Claudy’s Kitchen in Bronx, NY
“The contributions of Hispanic communities are an integral part of the fabric of American culture. Unfortunately, the community has also long faced systemic barriers to success – a divide only deepened by the impact of COVID-19,” said C.D. Glin, Vice President, The PepsiCo Foundation and Global Head of Philanthropy, PepsiCo. “Supporting long-term solutions that drive economic equity in the Hispanic community isn’t just right – it’s imperative. The IMPACTO Hispanic Business Accelerator and Juntos Crecemos are about more than just saving businesses; it is about investing in the people that bring life, culture and vibrancy to our communities and ensuring that they continue to grow, thrive, and prosper today and for generations to come.”
The Foundation is currently working with Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) partners including, Allies for Community Business in Chicago; Ascendus in New York; LiftFund in San Antonio; Accion Opportunity Fund in San Jose and Los Angeles; and DreamSpring in Albuquerque and other local organizations to provide $10,000 grants to beneficiaries and help business owners at every level retain employees and construct long-term business plans to support their future economic success. While launching in 13 cities (New York City, Miami, Chicago, Orlando, Albuquerque, Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Los Angeles, El Paso, Las Vegas, Denver, Phoenix) where Hispanic-owned small businesses were hit particularly hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, The PepsiCo Foundation plans to expand the IMPACTO program to additional cities over the next five years based on community need.
The launch of Juntos Crecemos and IMPACTO Hispanic Business Accelerator are important milestones in PepsiCo’s Racial Equality Journey, which in 2020 saw the company announce commitments of more than $570 million over the next five years to uplift Black and Hispanic businesses and communities in the U.S. to address issues of inequality and create opportunity.
For additional information about the Juntos Crecemos platform and how local businesses can benefit from it, please visit, www.PepsiCoJuntosCrecemos.com. To learn more about PepsiCo’s Racial Equality Journey, visit www.pepsico.com/diversity-equity-and-inclusion.
Media Contact: pepsicomediarelations@pepsico.com
About PepsiCo
PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $70 billion in net revenue in 2020, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker, Tropicana, and SodaStream. PepsiCo’s product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including 23 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales. Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Convenient Foods and Beverages by Winning with Purpose. “Winning with Purpose” reflects our ambition to win sustainably in the marketplace and embed purpose into all aspects of our business strategy and brands. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com.
About The PepsiCo Foundation
Established in 1962, The PepsiCo Foundation, the philanthropic arm of PepsiCo, invests in the essential elements of a sustainable food system with a mission to support thriving communities. Working with non-profits and experts around the globe, we’re focused on helping communities obtain access to food security, safe water and economic opportunity. We strive for tangible impact in the places where we live and work—collaborating with industry peers, local and international organizations, and our employees to affect large-scale change on the issues that matter to us and are of global importance. Learn more at www.pepsico.com/sustainability/philanthropy
About Allies for Community Business
Allies for Community Business (A4CB) believes that entrepreneurs from any background can start and grow businesses that create generational wealth for their families and communities. A4CB’s mission is to provide the capital, coaching, and collaboration entrepreneurs need to grow great businesses in their communities. As a nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution located on Chicago’s West Side, A4CB prioritizes Hispanic/Latinx, Black, women, and low-income entrepreneurs throughout the Chicagoland area and beyond. Learn more at a4cb.org.
About Accion Opportunity Fund
Accion Opportunity Fund works to create an inclusive, healthy financial system that supports the nation’s small business owners by connecting entrepreneurs to affordable capital, educational resources, coaching, and networks. Through innovative partnerships and outreach strategies, we reach entrepreneurs of color, low-income entrepreneurs, and women, who often lack access to the financial services they need to build and grow their businesses. Opportunity Fund Community Development the lending arm of Accion Opportunity Fund, California Finance Lender license #6050609.
About LiftFund
LiftFund’s mission is to provide credit and services to small businesses and entrepreneurs who do not have access to loans from commercial sources and to provide leadership and innovation in the microlending industry.
We provide a hand up to small business owners, so they have a chance to succeed. We’ve provided millions of dollars in micro and small business loans to diverse, hard-working entrepreneurs with a 96% successful repayment rate. For every $1 we lend, there is a positive economic return of $14. Daily, thousands of small businesses and entrepreneurs are denied capital and tap into high interest rate debt and predatory lenders that cost more than they can afford. We believe everyone deserves the opportunity to build a company successfully with capital no matter their background, race, ethnicity, sexual identity or geography.
About DreamSpring
DreamSpring is a nonprofit community lender dedicated to eliminating systemic wealth inequities and accelerating the economic inclusion and strength of underserved communities, which play a critical role in the stability and resilience of local and regional economies. Founded in 1994, the organization, which currently operates in 19 states, provides rapid access to capital and customized wrap-around support to the most vulnerable small business owners, focusing on communities including people of color, women, low- to moderate-income earners, veterans, the disabled, the LGBTQ community, the formerly incarcerated, and rural enterprises. Learn more at DreamSpring.org.
About Ascendus
Ascendus believes in the bold vision of creating financial ascension for those who have been systemically excluded from financial opportunity. For over 30 years, we’ve provided small business owners – primarily BIPOC, women and immigrants – with the tools to move up, improve their lives, care for their families, and contribute to their communities. We’ve placed over $200 million into the hands of 24,000 small businesses through our programs in New York, Massachusetts, Florida and nationally.
SOURCE PepsiCo, Inc.
Chobani Innovates Away from Plastic with Paper Cup
NEW BERLIN, N.Y., Aug. 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Chobani is taking an important step toward a more sustainable future, announcing today that we’re launching a paper cup.
Chobani’s paper cup marks a milestone in our efforts to reduce plastic use and put more sustainable packaging on shelves across America.
Chobani Innovates Away from Plastic with Paper Cup
Chobani Innovates Away from Plastic with Paper Cup
Chobani’s new product innovations – oatmilk, cold brew coffee and coffee creamers – already come in paper-based packaging that is recyclable. After two years of development, we will move our oat yogurt into a paper-based cup, but we won’t stop there. We’ll continue exploring more sustainable packaging across our portfolio that will use less plastic and more paper.
“We all have a role to play in protecting our planet,” said Chobani Founder and CEO Hamdi Ulukaya. “People have been asking for a paper cup, and we welcome this challenge to start reducing our plastic use, and to spark a conversation about how we can drive change together.”
Chobani’s paper cup is 80% paperboard, made from responsibly sourced and renewable material. The cup has a thin plastic lining to maintain the quality of our product.
“While this paper cup is a step in the right direction, it’s just the beginning,” said Ulukaya.
The cup will be made of recyclable materials, but we’re realistic about the complexities of American’s recycling system, which is fragmented across more than 10,000 municipal-run recycling centers1, each with unique rules.
Innovative packaging often challenges the current recycling capabilities across the U.S. As part of our work in bringing this cup to market, we will continue collaborating with partners, including the Sustainable Packaging Coalition, and policymakers to advocate for improvements that expand the recycling infrastructure in this country.
Fans will start finding Chobani’s paper cup in the yogurt aisle at the end of this year. It will begin with single-serve Chobani® Oat Blend and we will continue to invest in sustainable packaging initiatives across our product portfolio.
About Chobani
Chobani is a food maker with a mission of making high-quality and nutritious food accessible to more people, while elevating our communities and making the world a healthier place. In short: making good food for all. In support of this mission, we are a values-driven, people-first, food-and-wellness-focused company, and have been since Hamdi Ulukaya, an immigrant to the U.S., founded the company in 2005. We produce yogurt, oatmilk, dairy- and plant-based creamers, ready-to-drink coffee and plant-based probiotic drinks. Chobani yogurt is America’s No.1 yogurt brand, and it’s made with only natural ingredients without artificial preservatives.
Chobani uses food as a force for good in the world – putting humanity first in everything we do. Our philanthropic efforts prioritize giving back to our communities and beyond: working to eradicate child hunger, supporting immigrants, refugees and underrepresented people, honoring veterans, and protecting the planet. We manufacture our products in New York, Idaho, and Australia. Chobani products are available throughout North America and distributed in Australia and other select markets. For more information, please visit www.chobani.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
1 Consumer Brands Association: https://consumerbrandsassociation.org/sustainability/recycling-policy-platform/
SOURCE Chobani, LLC
CONTACT: Kait Richmond, Kait.Richmond@chobani.com, Jenna Scilacci, Jenna.Scilacci@chobani.com
FAO Director-General Stresses Importance Of Agri-food Systems Transformation At UN Event To Discuss Building Back Better From COVID-19
ROME, 02 July 2021 / PRN Africa / — Science, technology, innovation and data are key to transforming agri-food systems, said FAO Director-General QU Dongyu at the 2021 Integration Segment of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (ECOSOC) on Friday.
The Integration Segment brought together high-level participants and experts ahead of the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) beginning on 6 July. The virtual event hosted three panel discussions on ECOSOC’s and HLPF’s overall theme for 2021: ‘Sustainable and resilient recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic that promotes the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development: building an inclusive and effective path for the achievement of the 2030 Agenda in the context of the decade of action and delivery for sustainable development’.
Qu Dongyu stressed that building back more resilient, healthy, equitable and sustainable societies is “one of the most critical issues currently facing humanity.”
He continued by saying that FAO’s Strategic Framework seeks to support the 2030 Agenda through the transformation of agri-food systems, stressing two important elements: “First, tapping into science, technology and innovation, ensuring it is accessible and relevant to all. Second, improving the use of data, especially big data, bringing together different sources to inform decision-making, thereby strengthening governance, institutions and human capacity.”
ECOSOC’s Integration Segment meets annually to help UN Member States and others map ways to achieve sustainable development, with an emphasis on cutting-edge issues of global concern.
Building back better from COVID-19
The panel was moderated by Juan Sandoval Mendiolea, Deputy Permanent Representative of Mexico to the United Nations and Vice-President of ECOSOC. António Vitorino, Director-General of the International Organization for Migration, Soumya Swaminathan, Chief Scientist at World Health Organization and Peter Major, Chair of the 24th Session of the Commission on Science and Technology for Development all joined Qu Dongyu on the panel.
The Integration Segment built upon three informal virtual conversations organised over the course of May and June, which identified the key policy options for integration issues and COVID-19 recovery to inform the event’s panel discussions. FAO led the preparatory Integration Dialogue on 10 June, with Deputy Director-General Beth Bechdol presenting agri-food systems transformation and green recovery from COVID-19 as two major priorities going forward, highlighting some of FAO’s strategic actions and key programs working in those areas as examples.
Key takeaways from the preparatory conversations were that concerted efforts are needed to step up public and private sector investments in agri-food systems to address the nexus between food security, disasters and conflict, and that green recovery of agri-food systems will address both food security and climate risk. Science, technology, and innovation were also highlighted as important catalysts for progress, including the power of geospatial information to help bridge the digital gap across many communities and sectors. Finally, it was stressed that global collaboration and action is fundamental to addressing all of the mentioned challenges.
High-Level Political Forum 2021
The ECOSOC Integration Segment meets just prior to the start of the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF). Juan Sandoval Mendiolea, ECOSOC’s Vice-President, will share the key findings of the Segment’s panel discussions at the HPLF, highlighting the main policy recommendations and providing policy guidance on how to ensure a sustainable and resilient recovery from COVID-19 that puts us on track to realise the 2030 Agenda.
As a lead entity, FAO will participate in several high-level events and discussions during the HPLF, stressing the message that we must achieve MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agri-food systems for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind, if we are to achieve the SDGs by 2030. FAO will advocate for agri-food systems transformation as a major driver of accelerated, sustainable and inclusive recovery from the pandemic and its economic shocks and the need to leverage accelerators, including technology, innovation, data, governance, human capital and institutions to fast track progress.
The HLPF 2021 is the core United Nations platform for follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals. It will take place from 6 July to 15 July 2021 and discuss Sustainable Development Goals 1 on no poverty, 2 on zero hunger, 3 on good health and well-being, 8 on decent work and economic growth, 10 on reduced inequalities, 12 on responsible consumption and production, 13 on climate action, 16 on peace, justice and strong institutions, and 17 on partnerships in depth. The Forum will also consider the integrated, indivisible and interlinked nature of the Sustainable Development Goals.
SOURCE Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Report Suggests Well-Managed Oil Palm Plantations Can Play A Role In Biodiversity Conservation
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, April 19, 2021 – The conservation of biodiversity, both within and outside of certified concessions, is a key outcome that the RSPO aims to achieve through its Principles and Criteria 2018.
With the aim of better understanding progress towards this outcome, the RSPO commissioned a study by Borneo Futures, a scientific consultancy, in late 2019. The study evaluates whether the RSPO certification processes can or have contributed to the protection of species and landscapes, and identifies opportunities for improvement.
The study acknowledged clear conservation benefits originating from well-established biodiversity management of plantations but could not conclusively attribute these to the RSPO certification. The authors pointed to the complexity of the RSPO biodiversity requirements for assessing, managing and monitoring High Conservation Value areas – which may necessitate costly, external technical expertise – as a potential explanatory factor.
Dr Erik Meijaard, one of the researchers and Director of Borneo Futures, stated that “while species diversity and abundance in oil palm monoculture are lower than protected natural forests, the five companies surveyed retained important biodiversity. This suggests that well managed RSPO-certified oil palm plantations can play a role in biodiversity conservation by supporting and retaining sometimes significant levels of biodiversity.”
The RSPO recognises these issues and is working with our stakeholders to determine the systems and best practices for effective biodiversity management on oil palm plantations.
Read more here.
About Borneo Futures:
Borneo Futures is a scientific consultancy company and based in Brunei Darussalam. Established in 2015, Borneo Futures undertakes projects focused on innovative science that informs the practices and policies of environmental management in tropical forest areas. The work by the Borneo Futures company builds on the studies conducted through the Borneo Futures initiative, by implementing pilot programs for key stakeholders in natural resources companies, banks, government institutions, and rural communities.
About RSPO:
The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) was formed in 2004 with the objective of promoting the growth and use of sustainable oil palm products through credible global standards and engagement of stakeholders. RSPO is a not-for-profit, international, membership organisation that unites stakeholders from the different sectors of the palm oil industry including oil palm producers, palm oil processors or traders, consumer goods manufacturers, retailers, banks and investors, environmental or nature conservation NGOs, and social or developmental NGOs.
The seat of the association is in Zurich, Switzerland, while the secretariat is currently based in Kuala Lumpur with satellite offices in Jakarta (ID), London (UK), Zoetermeer (NL), Beijing (CN) and Bogotá (CO).
SOURCE Roundtable On Sustainable Palm Oil
CONTACT: Fay Richards, fay.richards@rspo.org
Related Links
www.rspo.org
Chipotle To Offer Free Degrees In Agriculture, Culinary, And Hospitality To Employees
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., April 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG) today announced it will offer debt-free degrees in Agriculture, Culinary, and Hospitality to all eligible employees in partnership with Guild Education, the leading education and upskilling company in the country. After only 120 days of employment, employees are eligible to pursue degrees from leading nonprofit, accredited universities, including The University of Arizona, Bellevue University, Brandman University, Paul Quinn College, Southern New Hampshire University, Wilmington University, the University of Denver and soon Johnson & Wales University, and Oregon State University. The new degree offerings build upon Chipotle’s best-in-class benefits and closely align with the company’s mission to Cultivate a Better World through its real, responsibly-sourced food.
In partnership with Guild Education, the leading education and upskilling company in the country, Chipotle will offer debt-free degrees in Agriculture, Culinary, and Hospitality to all eligible employees. The new degree offerings build upon Chipotle’s best-in-class benefits and closely align with the company’s mission to Cultivate a Better World through its real, responsibly-sourced food.
In partnership with Guild Education, the leading education and upskilling company in the country, Chipotle will offer debt-free degrees in Agriculture, Culinary, and Hospitality to all eligible employees. The new degree offerings build upon Chipotle’s best-in-class benefits and closely align with the company’s mission to Cultivate a Better World through its real, responsibly-sourced food.
Agriculture
Starting April 13, eligible Chipotle employees will be able to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Sciences or Rangeland Sciences online from Oregon State University, one of the top ranked U.S. colleges for agriculture.
According to the latest Census of Agriculture from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, there are more than six times as many farmers age 65 and older as farmers age 34 and younger*, challenging future of small and mid-sized farms throughout the country. Chipotle recognizes that the future of real food depends on cultivating the next generation of agriculture leaders and farmers, and now the brand is giving employees an opportunity to further contribute to its revitalization efforts.
Chipotle has committed $5 million over five years to help remove barriers and enable the next generation of farmers and ranchers to succeed. Last year, the brand spent more than $300 million in food premiums to purchase supplies that are responsibly sourced, humanely raised and often locally grown.
Culinary and Hospitality
Chipotle will be the first of Guild’s employer partners to offer debt-free culinary education through renowned culinary institution, Johnson & Wales University (JWU), later this year. The brand will work collaboratively with JWU and Guild to bring associate and bachelors’ culinary arts degrees online, as well as an additional Bachelor of Science degree in Food Industry Compliance Management. The associate degree in Culinary Arts will include an experiential education component to give students hands-on opportunities to build their culinary skills. In addition, Chipotle employees will have the opportunity to pursue a selection of bachelor’s degree programs in hospitality from Bellevue University, JWU or Oregon State University.
Supply Chain
Later this year, Chipotle will also offer an expanded selection of Supply Chain programs from Oregon State University and the University of Denver. The company currently offers Supply Chain degrees from Bellevue University, Brandman University, and Southern New Hampshire University.
“Diversifying our debt-free degree program with new majors and partner universities makes our educational benefits even more inclusive,” said Marissa Andrada, Chief Diversity, Inclusion and People Officer at Chipotle. “Through our partnership with Guild, we are committed to accelerating our employees’ professional growth and helping them achieve personal success by offering opportunities to pursue career paths in their particular area of interest.”
Chipotle’s Continued Commitment to Education
In 2019, Chipotle announced it will cover 100% of tuition costs up front for 75 different business and technology degrees through its partnership with Guild. Chipotle added this employee benefit to give employees the chance to gain the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in the evolving 21st century job market.
The debt-free degree program is a key component of Chipotle’s Cultivate Education program, which includes an Existing Tuition Reimbursement Program, allowing eligible employees to be reimbursed for tuition up to $5,250 per year in qualifying programs.
Program Impact
To date, Chipotle has seen a retention rate of 3.5x higher among students who are enrolled in Cultivate Education.
Crew members using the benefit are 7.5x more likely to move into a management role within the organization.
Of those using the benefit, 85% of students are crew members, and the benefit has the biggest impact on their growth and tenure.
“Chipotle’s debt-free degree program expansion highlights its deep commitment to employees’ economic opportunity and professional advancement,” said Natalie McCullough, President and Chief Commercial Officer at Guild Education. “By expanding Cultivate Education to include a variety of programs aligned to the company’s mission, Chipotle is continuing to lead as an innovator in employee development and wellness.”
Along with access to higher education, Chipotle offers an industry-first Crew Bonus program, which allows its restaurant employees the opportunity to earn an extra month’s worth of pay each year for meeting certain criteria. Qualifying crew members can also take advantage of a full suite of benefits including access to healthcare; fitness discounts; and free English as a second language and GED classes for employees and family members.
*Source: American Farmland Trust
ABOUT CHIPOTLE
Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE: CMG) is cultivating a better world by serving responsibly sourced, classically-cooked, real food with wholesome ingredients without artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. Chipotle had over 2,750 restaurants as of December 31, 2020, in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France and Germany and is the only restaurant company of its size that owns and operates all its restaurants. With nearly 88,000 employees passionate about providing a great guest experience, Chipotle is a longtime leader and innovator in the food industry. Chipotle is committed to making its food more accessible to everyone while continuing to be a brand with a demonstrated purpose as it leads the way in digital, technology and sustainable business practices. Steve Ells, founder, first opened Chipotle with a single restaurant in Denver, Colorado in 1993. For more information or to place an order online, visit WWW.CHIPOTLE.COM.
ABOUT GUILD EDUCATION
Denver-based Guild Education is on a mission to unlock opportunity for America’s workforce through education and upskilling. Guild is a certified B-Corp, founded to bridge the gap between education and employment for the 88M working adults in the US in need of upskilling for the future of work. Guild’s industry-leading technology platform allows the nation’s largest employers — including Walmart, The Walt Disney Company and Chipotle — to offer strategic education and upskilling to their employees, connecting them to a learning ecosystem of the nation’s best universities and learning providers, with tuition paid by the company. Guild serves working learners from all 50 states, including 54% who are students of color and 56% female. Guild’s platform pairs technology and hands-on coaching to address common barriers to college completion and successful upskilling for working learners. Guild partners with employers to manage payment flows, data transfer, and benefits administration, while helping working adult learners go to school debt-free, with support services all the way through graduation. For more information, visit www.guildeducation.com.
SOURCE Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc.
CONTACT: Erin Wolford, (949) 524-4035, MediaRelations@chipotle.com
Related Links
https://www.chipotle.com/
Kroger to Invest $56 Million in Houston Associates
Offer Includes Wage Increases and Affordable and Secure Health Care Benefits
HOUSTON — Kroger Houston has announced details of its recent investment in associates, including $56 million in wage increases and steps to ensure access to reliable, affordable health care benefits.
“Kroger’s commitment to increase wages and ensure our associates have access to world-class affordable, secure and reliable health care benefits is a core priority for the company,” said Joe Kelley, president of Kroger’s Houston Division.
Kroger presented its “Last, Best and Final Offer” to the union on August 19. Regrettably, UFCW Local 455 has refused to schedule a vote that would allow their members (Kroger associates) to vote on the offer.
Kroger’s $56 million investment in wage increases and secure, affordable health care benefits for associates comes after many months of negotiations between Kroger and UFCW Local 455.
“Our plan removes any uncertainty frontline associates experience with their current health and welfare trust fund plan,” continued Kelley. “We believe this is the right path forward for our associates.”
Further, UFCW Local 455 has not allowed members to vote on a tentative agreement that would improve the security and stability of past and future pension benefits by moving to a new variable annuity pension plan (VAPP) which would include a nearly $1 billion investment by Kroger. UFCW Local 455’s failure to allow a vote on the pension proposal holds both parties back from enhancing the security of pension benefits of thousands of Kroger Family of Companies associates who are also UFCW members across the country.
Facts about Kroger’s Investment in Houston Associates:
Every frontline Houston associate will receive an increase in pay over the next six months
This additional wage increase follows wage increases earlier this year and $8 million in wage increases in October 2019
Kroger Houston will spend more than $75 million annually on health care for hourly associates
Kroger Houston associates will pay just $32 for individual coverage or $172 for family coverage each month in a company-administered plan
By comparison, the national average per month for individual coverage is $103 and $501 for family coverage *
Kroger has offered to invest nearly $1 billion to improve the stability and security of past and future pension benefits for 33,000 associates across 14 divisions – including Houston meat clerks. Establishing a new variable annuity pension plan (VAPP) is the most effective way to do this.
Associates’ health care coverage is transitioning to a company-sponsored plan from their current South-Central Health and Welfare Fund. Kroger believes the South-Central Fund is unstable because it significantly reduced benefits in 2019 for Kroger associates. This move to a company-administered plan is a critical step in ensuring stable, affordable and secure benefits for Kroger Houston associates now and in the future.
To learn more, please visit: www.krogerhoustoncba.com.
*According to the Kaiser Family Foundation Employer Health Benefits Summary of Findings, 2019.
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 Kroger Houston
The Kroger Houston Division operates more than 100 stores in SE Texas and Louisiana and employs over 18,000 associates. Last year, Kroger Houston donated $1.9 million to local non-profit organizations and schools and donated 2.6 million pounds of food to local food banks through its #ZeroHungerZeroWaste initiative.
Kroger’s Simple Truth® Brand Expands Plant Based Collection with Launch of Emerge™ Chick’n and 50+ New Items
America’s largest natural and organic brand to feature more than 75 plant-based foods and beverages by the end of 2020
New Simple Truth Emerge Chick’n – fresh chicken-less patties and grinds – now available nationwide in Kroger’s family of stores
CINCINNATI, Oct. 14, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), America’s favorite grocer, today announced the expansion of its exclusive Simple Truth Plant Based collection, unveiling more than 50 new, fresh and flavorful plant-based foods at affordable prices, including non-dairy cheeses, oat milk ice cream and Emerge fresh chicken-less patties and grinds.
Kroger, America’s largest grocery retailer, expands private-label plant-based collection through innovation, launching Simple Truth® Emerge™ Chick’n – fresh and chicken-less patties and grinds.
Kroger’s Simple Truth Plant Based collection launched with more than 20 products last September, featuring vegan chocolate chip cookie dough, oat milk, sour cream, deli slices, sausage, and other products. Since then, the line has continued to grow to meet customer demand, offering a diverse selection of vegan- and flexitarian-friendly snacks, spreads, dips, desserts, burger patties and grinds, and more. By the end of 2020, the collection will feature more than 75 products.
A growing number of consumers are embracing flexitarian living, prioritizing healthier food choices and reducing their intake of meat and dairy products, as Kroger reported in its 2020 food trends outlook.
“We’re excited to introduce the latest additions to our Simple Truth Plant Based collection to provide an expanded selection of affordable, delicious and quality products for our customers who live a vegan, vegetarian or flexitarian lifestyle,” said Stuart Aitken, Kroger’s chief merchant. “We look forward to continuing to drive the growth of the plant-based category through our Simple Truth brand, which exceeded $2.5 billion in sales last year, and we anticipate increased interest in our plant-based selection in 2021 and beyond.”
The Simple Truth Plant Based collection now includes more dairy-free options like cheese shreds and slices, oat milk ice cream, almond milk yogurt and creamy salad dressings as well as trend-inspired recipes like ready-to-eat brownie batter and cauliflower dips.
Kroger’s team of chefs, food scientists and nutritionists collaborated to develop the collection’s recipes that offer 100% plant-based alternatives. The integrated team tested numerous recipes for its non-dairy cheeses, oat milk ice cream and almond milk yogurt – perfecting the taste and textures to mirror their dairy counterparts, while ensuring the products remained free of GMOs and 101+ artificial preservatives and ingredients.
Featured products from the expanded Simple Truth Plant Based Collection include:
Cheese Shreds (Cheddar and Mozzarella)
Cheese Slices (Cheddar and Hot Pepper)
Oat Milk Ice Cream (Strawberry Graham, Sea Salt Caramel, Peanut Butter Chip, Black Raspberry Chip, and Maple Pecan)
Almond Milk Yogurts (Vanilla, Strawberry, Blueberry, and Mango)
Cauliflower Dips (Buffalo, Spicy Queso, Tzatziki, and Cilantro with Jalapeño)
Caesar and Ranch Salad Dressings
Ready-to-Eat Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ready-to-Eat Chocolate Truffle Brownie Batter
Available exclusively at Kroger’s family of stores, the expanded Simple Truth Plant Based collection also features the launch of Simple Truth Emerge™ Chick’n, a plant-based alternative to fresh chicken patties and grinds created in response to increased demand for the Simple Truth Emerge burger patties and grinds that the retailer introduced earlier this year.
Simple Truth Emerge Chick’n patties and grinds offer the same taste, texture and sizzle on the grill or in a pan as chicken and are free of GMOs, dairy, and soy. Simple Truth Emerge Chick’n patties and grinds provide up to 21 grams of wheat-based protein per serving and are located in the packaged traditional meat case.
“As our customers’ eating styles and health and wellness goals continue to evolve, Simple Truth will continue to deliver an unmatched combination of quality and value for natural, organic and plant-based foods,” said Brad Studer, Kroger’s senior director of Our Brands. “We believe that everyone deserves to have access to fresh, affordable and delicious food, no matter who you are, how you shop or what you like to eat, and we will continue to innovate and inspire our selection of products to deliver on that very promise for our customers.”
According to the inaugural Good Food Retail Report recently released by nonprofit The Good Food Institute (GFI), Kroger is leading the way in elevating the booming plant-based trend. The report also recognized Kroger-owned King Soopers for achieving the “best plant-based store-brand assortment.”
“We’re thrilled to see Kroger double down on plant-based foods with the expansion of its Simple Truth Plant-Based collection,” said Caroline Bushnell, GFI’s director of corporate engagement. “Kroger is really driving own-brand innovation forward with products like their new Simple Truth Emerge Chick’n. As the nation’s largest grocer, Kroger’s commitment to plant-based meat and dairy is a clear signal that plant-based is a mainstream way of eating that is here to stay.”
Media Assets
To download pictures of the Simple Truth Plant Based collection and Simple Truth Emerge Chick’n, visit here.
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.
Kroger Health Launches Employer-Focused COVID-19 Testing Program
CINCINNATI — Kroger Health, the healthcare division of The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), today announced the launch of COVIDCare Plus, a complete employer-focused health and wellness solution designed to help American companies restart and maintain their business operations. The testing program is centered on Kroger Health’s FDA-authorized COVID-19 Test Home Collection Kit which combines self-collection testing with virtual supervision by a licensed healthcare professional to enhance the patient experience.
Kroger Health launches COVIDCare Plus, combining testing and management with industry-leading healthcare services.
As case counts rise and demand for testing increases, providing adequate amounts of COVID-19 testing continues to be a challenge. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), demand for testing has tripled while results are taking up to three weeks to deliver in the hardest-hit areas. Speed of reporting results is a critical component to help quell the spread of COVID-19.
“We know testing continues to be a critical pillar in the fight against COVID-19,” said Colleen Lindholz, president of Kroger Health. “And yet, our country faces ongoing challenges to keep pace with demand. At Kroger Health, we are grateful to be part of the solution by providing employers with COVID-19 testing that has a short turnaround time. This is paramount to keeping American businesses open and people at work.”
Kroger Health’s COVID-19 Test Home Collection Kit includes a telehealth consultation provided at the time of specimen collection. Supervision of the collection process by a licensed healthcare professional may improve the quality of the sample collected, increase accessibility, and reduce patient anxiety. Through Kroger Health’s strategic partnership with CLIA-certified laboratory Gravity Diagnostics, testing can be administered comfortably at home, with results delivered in 24-48 hours. Samples are collected via mid-turbinate nasal swabs – the same process that Kroger Health has deployed at its COVID-19 drive-thru testing sites, where its multidisciplinary team has collectively administered 150,000 tests.
In addition to COVID-19 testing and management services, COVIDCare Plus will offer employers and their teams access to advanced clinical services like vaccinations, telehealth, and telenutrition. These services are focused on driving actionable behavior change that helps combat the larger crisis of chronic disease that affects nearly half of Americans. According to the 2020 White House Conference on Food, Nutrition, and Health, 72% of Americans are either overweight or obese, and more than 100 million Americans suffer from diabetes or pre-diabetes. The study also states that poor diet is now the leading cause of poor health in the United States. Kroger Health’s expertise in “food as medicine” combined with Kroger’s position as America’s largest grocery retailer enables a broad set of solutions that address health, wellness, and nutrition.
“We are solving for the pandemic while building for the epidemic,” Lindholz said. “COVID-19 is our clear focus in the short term and we have a strong plan in place to help drive our country’s recovery efforts. However, we know that – now more than ever – a focus on health and wellness needs to become an ongoing way of life for all of us. That’s why we are committed to providing organizations with the services we know their employees and stakeholders need to stay healthy.”
Kroger Health is the fourth-largest retail healthcare organization in America, with over 2,200 pharmacies and 220 clinics in 35 states serving more than 14 million customers. COVIDCare Plus is currently available in 17 states, with more coming soon.
To learn more about the program or to request testing services visit krogerhealth.com.
Media Assets
To download images of the Kroger Health COVID-19 Test Home Collection Kit, please visit here.
About Gravity Diagnostics
Gravity Diagnostics is a full-service state-of-the-art CLIA laboratory licensed in all 50 states providing innovative laboratory testing including Infectious Disease (Upper Respiratory and Sexually Transmitted), Toxicology, and Pharmacogenomics. We are an advocate for physicians, patients, and our communities, supporting them with unsurpassed integrity, regulatory compliance, and clinical expertise. Learn more by visiting gravitydiagnostics.com.
About Kroger Health
Kroger Health, the healthcare division of The Kroger Co., is one of America’s leading retail healthcare organizations, with over 2,200 pharmacies and 220 clinics in 35 states serving more than 14 million customers. Our team of 22,000 healthcare practitioners – from pharmacists and nurse practitioners, to dietitians and technicians – are committed to helping people live healthier lives. We believe in practicing at the top of our licenses and enabling “food as medicine” to help prevent and manage chronic disease. We are dedicated to providing testing and wellness services to help Americans combat the COVID-19 crisis. Learn more at www.krogerhealth.com.
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.
Kroger Selects Dentsu Aegis Network as its First Integrated Media Agency of Record
CINCINNATI and NEW YORK — The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), America’s largest grocery retailer, announced today that it has selected Dentsu Aegis Network as its first integrated media agency of record after a competitive pitch process.
Dentsu Aegis Network will create a team to serve Kroger called fresh@dentsu, led out of full-service media and creative agency 360i as well as with experts from Amplifi, M8, Merkle, MKTG and Posterscope. The fresh@dentsu team will be responsible for media planning and buying for Kroger and its family of brands across all media channels, including TV, radio, print, OOH, search, social, display, online video, and streaming audio. The fresh@dentsu team will also partner with Kroger to evaluate their sponsorships.
“Last year, we launched our brand transformation campaign – Fresh for Everyone – bringing our brand strategy to life and celebrating our love of all customers and associates, food-first culture and long history as America’s favorite grocer,” said Mandy Rassi, Kroger’s vice president of marketing. “Kroger’s selection of an integrated media partner will continue to advance the campaign and uplift our brand, allowing us to connect with our customers in an even more compelling, modern way.”
Kroger’s new brand is a unifying framework for its communications, evolving culture and seamless shopping experience, offering customers with store, pickup, delivery and ship options.
“The fresh@dentsu team stood out to us for their creative ability to think differently about our media planning and buying approach,” stated Kay Vizon, Kroger’s director of media. “We live in a hyperconnected world, requiring us to look at this part of our business more holistically – and with greater data – to accelerate growth and engagement. Dentsu’s audience-first approach aligns perfectly with our principle of looking at the total customer to better understand their behaviors and motivators and what really resonates with them, providing us with a continuous competitive advantage.”
“We’re excited and honored to be partnering with Kroger, a brand that has a rich history and passion for serving its customers,” said Doug Rozen, Chief Media Officer, 360i. “Kroger is transforming the shopping experience by leveraging unique insights and a renewed brand spirit. Powered by Dentsu’s M1 platform, we look forward to helping Kroger deliver people-based media across all channels and connected to business outcomes that drive growth across its entire footprint.”
About Kroger
At The Kroger Co., 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 360i
360i is an award-winning agency that helps brands capitalize on change. As a highly strategic media and creative partner with a deep understanding of how people discover brands and share stories, we don’t just react to changes in the marketplace – we predict and define them. By bringing together some of the smartest, most curious people with expertise in media, data, creativity, strategy, search, and social, we help our clients achieve their objectives and drive their business forward. And our hustle doesn’t go unnoticed. In 2019, we were selected for Ad Age’s A-List – our ninth consecutive year in the coveted issue. We’ve also been named Adweek’s Breakthrough Media Agency of the Year, recognized as one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies and Campaign’s Top 25 Most Influential Agencies, and ranked amongst the best Lead Agencies and Performance Agencies by Forrester Research. That’s some range. We work with brands including HBO, DSW, McCormick, and Mondelez. To learn more, visit www.360i.com.
Kroger Technology & Digital Named to Computerworld’s Top 100 Best Places to Work in IT
CINCINNATI — The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) today announced Kroger Technology & Digital has been named to Computerworld magazine’s Top 100 Best Places to Work in IT for 2020. This marks the third consecutive year that Kroger’s technology and digital team has been recognized by the annual list for having an innovative, industry-leading workplace culture. This year, Kroger ranks 51st among large companies.
“Our technology and digital team continues to create innovative experiences that are fundamentally changing the way we serve customers across America,” said Yael Cosset, chief technology and digital officer. “Kroger’s relentless focus on delivering solutions focused on both customers and associates is what drives our ability to transform the shopping experience and is what makes Kroger a special place for our team.”
The 100 Best Places to Work in IT list is an annual ranking of the top work environments for technology professionals by Computerworld. The list is developed based on categories like benefits, career development, and training and retention. Computerworld also conducts surveys of IT associates, and their responses are a factor in determining the rankings.
This summer, as part of its emphasis on workplace culture and developing talent, Kroger’s technology and digital team is offering its first virtual summer internship program where more than 30 interns will work on real projects impactful to the business as well as participate in a series of virtual networking, mentorship and community service opportunities. The virtual internship format will expand in the fall semester, and interested students can apply by contacting DigiTechCampus@kroger.com.
“A big part of our organization’s culture is providing opportunities to grow, learn and develop the talented and passionate team behind the company’s seamless ecosystem,” continued Cosset. “Our internship program offers real-life opportunities to future industry talent, which has never been more important to those entering the workforce, and I’m proud of our ability to continue to provide these experiences in the current environment.”
For a complete Computerworld Top 100 Best Places to Work in IT list, download here.
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.
Kroger Health Offers Free Telenutrition Service to Promote Healthy, Affordable Eating
CINCINNATI — Kroger Health, the healthcare division of The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), today announced a free telenutrition service to help Americans shop for, prepare and enjoy healthy fresh and non-perishable foods during the COVID-19 crisis. The free telenutrition service is the latest offering from Kroger Health’sFood as Medicine platform.
During the pandemic, customers’ shopping styles, cooking preferences and eating routines have shifted. According to a customer trends report developed by 84.51°, Kroger’s data science and analytics business:
- 51% are cooking and baking more often than before the crisis, while 45% are cooking the same amount. Just 4% are cooking less often;
- 40% say they are eating more comfort and indulgent foods;
- 40% of customers say they have purchased more packaged foods than they usually do; and
- 46% of customers say they are snacking more throughout the day.
To help customers manage and navigate the new normal,Kroger Health’s telenutrition service offers:
- A complimentary virtual consultation with a registered dietitian via a two-way video chat;
- Personalized support and plans for individuals and families — whether cooking for the first time, experiencing tighter budgets or navigating reduced access to fresh or favorite foods;
- Management of food-related health concerns, including weight maintenance or loss, gastrointestinal conditions and eating disorders, and nutrition plans associated with fertility, oncology and more.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has changed shopping, cooking and eating routines for households across America,” said Jim Kirby, Kroger Health’s senior director. “Many families and individuals are for the first time exclusively relying on cooking for meals, some with limited budgets and nutrition knowledge. Through Kroger Health’s telenutrition service, our dietitians are providing free personalized nutrition advice to help our customers shop for and prepare delicious and affordable nutritious meals.”
The telenutrition service will remain free1 for all customers through the pandemic, including Medicare and Medicaid patients. Customers can schedule unlimited visits with the code “COVID.” To learn more about the telenutrition service or to sign up, visit http://www.krogerhealth.com/telenutrition.
About Kroger Health:
Kroger Health, the healthcare arm of The Kroger Co., is one of America’s leading retail healthcare organizations, with over 2,000 pharmacies and 200 clinics in 35 states serving more than 14 million customers. Our team of 22,000 healthcare practitioners – from pharmacists and nurse practitioners, to dietitians and technicians – are committed to helping people live healthier lives. We believe in practicing at the top of our licenses and enabling “food as medicine” to help prevent disease before it starts. Learn more at www.krogerhealth.com.
About 84.51°
84.51° brings together customer data, predictive analytics, and marketing strategy to drive sales growth and customer loyalty for Kroger and more than 300 consumer-packaged-goods companies in the U.S. Our programs achieve business objectives by driving awareness, trial, sales uplift, earned media impressions and, ultimately, customer loyalty. Using a sophisticated, proprietary suite of tools and technology, we turn customer data into knowledge, resulting in a more enlightened, more personal, dynamic approach to putting the customer at the center of every business decision.
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.
Kroger Launches Expanded Dairy Rescue Program to Support Children and Families During COVID-19
CINCINNATI — The Kroger Family of Companies (NYSE: KR) today announced the launch of an expanded Dairy Rescue Program, designed to support children and families during the COVID-19 pandemic through the summer months. In partnership with its dairy cooperative suppliers and farmers across the Midwest and South, Kroger will process and donate about 200,000 gallons of additional milk to Feeding America® food banks and community organizations through the end of August, uplifting its Zero Hunger | Zero Waste initiative.
Kroger’s Centennial Dairy partnership in Atlanta, GA with Dairy Farmers of America, to direct 24,000 half-gallons of milk to support health care workers and first responders in Augusta, Macon and Savannah, GA during the pandemic over the next month. Kroger kicked off the Great Georgia Give milk donation campaign in Metro Atlanta with Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Gary W. Black.
“Kroger recognizes the growing need for fresh, highly nutritious food in our community, especially for children as schools remain closed during the pandemic to flatten the curve,” said Erin Sharp, Kroger’s group vice president of manufacturing. “At a time when dairy farmers have surplus raw milk, we’re doubling down on our mission to reduce hunger and waste.”
The Dairy Rescue Program is expanding on an existing partnership model between Kroger and its dairy cooperative suppliers to direct even more fluid milk — one of the most requested but harder to stock items at food banks — to food-insecure communities. Through the expanded program, during the pandemic dairy cooperatives will donate surplus milk normally sold to restaurants, schools and hotels, while Kroger will donate the processing and packaging of the donated milk. Additionally, in some areas, Kroger’s logistics team will also donate the transportation of the milk to local food banks.
“As the COVID-19 pandemic has forced businesses like restaurants and hotels across the country to close, some of America’s farmers are left without buyers for their dairy supply,” said Heather J. McCann, director of public affairs for Dairy Farmers of America’s Mideast Area. “Kroger’s Dairy Rescue Program is an invaluable resource for the dairy industry during this crisis and beyond, helping distribute and process surplus milk to communities who need it the most.”
The expansion of Kroger’s Dairy Rescue Program builds on the existing partnerships with the Michigan Milk Producers Association and Dairy Farmers of America, which already donate a combined 129,900 gallons throughout the year. Through the expanded program, Kroger’s dairy processing plants and suppliers will be donating an additional 50,000 gallons of milk per month to local food banks and community organizations. Feeding America member food banks and other partners will help transport the gallons and half-gallons to local hunger relief agencies.
From May through August, four of Kroger’s manufacturing facilities will process the rescued milk to benefit several food bank organizations and communities:
Tamarack Farms in partnership with Dairy Farmers of America will donate milk to benefit the Mid-Ohio Foodbank, YMCA Van Buren, and the Salvation Army in Columbus, OH; New Beginnings in Youngstown, OH; and the West Ohio Food Bank in Lima, OH.
Kroger Michigan Dairy in partnership with Michigan Milk Producers Association will donate rescued milk to Michigan food banks supported by Food Bank Council of Michigan.
Winchester Farms Dairy in partnership with Dairy Farmers of America will donate milk to benefit Feeding America Kentucky’s Heartland in Elizabethtown, KY; Dare to Care in Louisville, KY; God’s Pantry Food Bank in Lexington, KY; and the Freestore Foodbank in Cincinnati, OH. Transportation will be donated by Penske Logistics.
Vandervoort’s Dairy in partnership with Select Milk Producers will donate milk to benefit the Tarrant Area Food Bank in Fort Worth, TX and the Houston Food Bank in Houston, TX. Transportation will be donated by Quickway Carriers.
The program is further enhanced by Kroger’s Centennial Dairy partnership in Atlanta, GA with Dairy Farmers of America, to direct 24,000 half-gallons of milk to support health care workers and first responders in Augusta, Macon and Savannah, GA during the pandemic over the next month. Kroger kicked off the Great Georgia Give milk donation campaign in Metro Atlanta last week with Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Gary W. Black.
“With so many families struggling with unemployment and food insecurity today, providing access to fresh, nutrient-rich milk has never been more important,” said Blake Thompson, chief supply chain officer, Feeding America. “Kroger’s Dairy Rescue Program is keeping America’s farmers productive, avoiding unnecessary food waste, and helping families in need.”
To download milk donation photography, visit here.
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.
Kroger Provides Business Update Related to COVID-19
CINCINNATI — The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) today filed its annual report on Form 10-K and announced business updates in response to the impact from the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
“Kroger’s most urgent priority is to provide a safe environment for associates and customers, with open stores, comprehensive digital solutions and an efficiently-operating supply chain, so that our communities have access to fresh, affordable food and essentials,” said Rodney McMullen, Kroger’s chairman and CEO. “We are so proud of our dedicated associates who are on the front lines serving our customers when they need us most. A huge thank you to all of our associates, whose efforts are nothing short of heroic.”
After experiencing strong sales in February, the COVID-19 pandemic triggered a significantly greater lift in sales across both physical retail stores and digital channels in March. Customers shop with Kroger in times of uncertainty because it is a brand they trust. In addition, Kroger has made significant investments for several years to enhance the seamless ecosystem for customers. As customers look for more digital solutions during the pandemic, Kroger is well-positioned to support them with pick-up, delivery and ship to home solutions. To advance operations and support the accelerated sales growth, the Kroger family of companies is making investments in its workforce, associate and customer safety, and the supply chain.
Kroger leadership is closely monitoring the impact of the pandemic on food retail across global markets. From early observations, Kroger is seeing trends similar to other markets affected by the pandemic. The Kroger family of companies started to see a significant shift in customer behavior during the last few days of February as shoppers started stocking up. Sales sharply accelerated in March with identical retail supermarket sales without fuel up approximately 30 percent. This was driven by dramatically heightened demand in the middle of the month as customers were stockpiling, which then tapered, but remained higher than normal in the final week, as customers adjusted to the new dining, work and travel restrictions. The demand has been broad based across grocery and fresh departments. It is too early to speculate what will emerge as the “new normal” in food consumption at home or what the impact on sales will be in future periods.
The Kroger family of companies is investing in special pay above regular wages for frontline hourly associates, providing expanded paid sick leave, and hiring a record number of new associates. It likewise is investing in safety protocols throughout its operations, including more frequent and rigorous cleaning and sanitization procedures in stores, distribution centers and manufacturing facilities. Kroger is also investing in its supply chain to expand capacity where possible. These investments are supporting associates, customers and communities through the pandemic, and will help the company emerge stronger as a result.
“We are seeing strong sales and are at the same time investing in our business to support our customers and associates through the current uncertainty,” said Gary Millerchip, Kroger’s chief financial officer.
As a result of recent trends, Kroger expects first quarter identical sales excluding fuel and adjusted EPS to be better than the annual growth rate provided in guidance for full year 2020.
Looking towards the rest of the year, Kroger expects volatility in sales throughout the year as the impact of COVID-19 on the consumer evolves, and anticipates the following to have an impact on full-year results:
Continued investments to help our customers and associates through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Delay of certain cost-saving initiatives to focus all resources where they are needed most in the short term – to address the impact of COVID-19. The company has plans in place to resume these initiatives quickly, when the timing is right.
Uncertainty surrounding the longer-term impact of COVID-19, including the length of travel and other restrictions, on food and grocery sales, fuel and alternative profit streams.
Potential long-term shift in customer behavior toward eating more food at home.
In light of all these factors, Kroger leadership believes maintaining current guidance is prudent at this time and is therefore reconfirming guidance for full year 2020.
Kroger’s financial model has proven to be resilient throughout the economic cycle. Kroger continues to generate strong free cash flow and maintain strong liquidity. As a precautionary measure to reduce reliance on the commercial paper market and preserve financial flexibility in response to the coronavirus pandemic, Kroger proactively borrowed $1 billion under its revolving credit facility on March 18, 2020. Cash and temporary cash investments were approximately $2.3 billion and there were no commercial paper borrowings outstanding immediately following the draw down. To maintain financial flexibility, Kroger has decided to pause additional share repurchases during the fiscal first quarter. Kroger had already repurchased $355 million shares during the quarter under its $1 billion board authorization announced November 5, 2019, leaving $245 million remaining under the authorization. Kroger remains committed to maintaining a net total debt to adjusted EBITDA ratio target range between 2.30 to 2.50.
Additional Details of Associate Investments
The Kroger family of companies is protecting the health and safety of its associates and customers by:
Enhancing daily sanitation practices, including cleaning commonly used areas more often like cashier stations, self-checkouts, credit card terminals, food service counters and shelves.
Permitting and working hard to procure protective masks and gloves for associates.
Installing plexiglass partitions at check lanes, pharmacy and Starbucks registers across the enterprise.
Adding floor decals to promote physical distancing at check lanes and other counters.
Adjusting store operating hours to allow more time for our associates to rest, clean and replenish inventory.
Continuing to expand online pickup and delivery, and contactless payment solutions like Kroger Pay.
The Kroger family of companies is supporting associates in a variety of ways, including:
Providing a Hero Bonus – a $2 premium above standard base rate of pay, applied to hours worked March 29 through April 18 – for all hourly frontline grocery, supply chain, manufacturing, pharmacy and call center associates. This follows and is in addition to the company’s previous commitment shared on March 21, which provided a one-time bonus to frontline associates, which pays out on April 3.
Beginning next week, Kroger and certain of its affiliates are adding ExpressPay – a new benefit that allows most hourly associates to access some of their pay faster, putting money in their pockets sooner than usual.
Helping associates who are affected by COVID-19 – whether experiencing symptoms and self-isolating, diagnosed or placed in quarantine – be supported with paid time off.
Making additional resources available for those facing hardship, including lack of access to childcare and for those considered high-risk, due to COVID-19 through the Kroger Family of Companies Helping Hands fund.
Establishing an Associate Hotline to answer benefit questions quickly.
Providing access to mental health services and other benefits to support associates’ mental and physical well-being during this stressful time.
The Kroger family of companies has hired more than 32,700 new associates in the last two weeks, including workers from the hardest-hit sectors like restaurants, hotels and food service distributors.
Kroger and its affiliates are supporting communities in a variety of ways, including:
The Kroger Co. Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Foundation is rapidly deploying more than $3 million in hunger-relief resources to communities disproportionately impacted by the coronavirus pandemic through its nonprofit partners, Feeding America and No Kid Hungry. The funding will not only support local food banks nationwide, but also fund initiatives that ensure children, whose schools may be closed, still have access to nutritious meals.
Making it easy for customers to support The Kroger Co. Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Foundation’s mission to create communities free of hunger and waste by choosing to roundup their purchases to the nearest dollar at every self-checkout lane in America or donate at ZeroHungerZeroWasteFoundation.org.
Donating food and funds to local food banks and hunger-relief efforts.
The Kroger Co. Foundation supported the American Red Cross Annual Disaster Giving Program and Disaster Responder Program at the $500,000 level for 2020, enabling the Red Cross to develop capacity, leaders and resources to provide relief.
2020 Guidance
IDS (%)
EPS
($)
Operating
Profit ($B)
Tax
Rate**
Cap Ex
($B)
Incremental
Alternative
Profit ($M)
Adjusted
FCF
($B)
Share
Repurchases
($M)
Adjusted*
>2.25%
$2.30
–
$2.40
$3.0 – $3.1
23.0%
$3.2-
$3.4
$125-$150
$1.6-$1.8
$500-$1,000
* Without adjusted items, if applicable; Identical sales is without fuel; Operating profit represents FIFO Operating Profit. Kroger is unable to provide a full reconciliation of the GAAP and non-GAAP measures used in 2020 guidance without unreasonable effort because it is not possible to predict certain of our adjustment items with a reasonable degree of certainty. This information is dependent upon future events and may be outside of our control and its unavailability could have a significant impact on 2020 GAAP financial results.
** This rate reflects typical tax adjustments and does not reflect changes to the rate from the completion of income tax audit examinations, which cannot be predicted.
About Kroger
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.
This press release contains certain statements that constitute “forward-looking statements” about the future performance of the company. These statements are based on management’s assumptions and beliefs in light of the information currently available to it. Such statements are indicated by words or phrases such as “believe,” “commit,” “continue,” “expect,” “future,” “guidance,” “strategy,” “trend,” and “will.” Various uncertainties and other factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. These include the specific risk factors identified in “Risk Factors” in our annual report on Form 10-K for our last fiscal year and any subsequent filings, as well as the following:
Kroger’s ability to achieve sales, earnings, incremental FIFO operating profit, and adjusted free cash flow goals may be affected by: COVID-19 related factors, risks and challenges, including among others, the length of time that the pandemic continues, the temporary inability of customers to shop due to illness, quarantine, or other travel restrictions or financial hardship, shifts in demand away from discretionary or higher priced products to lower priced products, or stockpiling or similar pantry-filling activities, reduced workforces which may be caused by, but not limited to, the temporary inability of the workforce to work due to illness, quarantine, or government mandates, or temporary store closures due to reduced workforces or government mandates; labor negotiations or disputes; changes in the types and numbers of businesses that compete with Kroger; pricing and promotional activities of existing and new competitors, including non-traditional competitors, and the aggressiveness of that competition; Kroger’s response to these actions; the state of the economy, including interest rates, the inflationary and deflationary trends in certain commodities, changes in tariffs, and the unemployment rate; the effect that fuel costs have on consumer spending; volatility of fuel margins; changes in government-funded benefit programs and the extent and effectiveness of any COVID-19 stimulus packages; manufacturing commodity costs; diesel fuel costs related to Kroger’s logistics operations; trends in consumer spending; the extent to which Kroger’s customers exercise caution in their purchasing in response to economic conditions; the uncertainty of economic growth or recession; changes in inflation or deflation in product and operating costs; stock repurchases; Kroger’s ability to retain pharmacy sales from third party payors; consolidation in the healthcare industry, including pharmacy benefit managers; Kroger’s ability to negotiate modifications to multi-employer pension plans; natural disasters or adverse weather conditions; the effect of public health crises or other significant catastrophic events, including the coronavirus; the potential costs and risks associated with potential cyber-attacks or data security breaches; the success of Kroger’s future growth plans; the ability to execute on Restock Kroger; and the successful integration of merged companies and new partnerships. Our ability to achieve these goals may also be affected by our ability to manage the factors identified above. Our ability to execute our financial strategy may be affected by our ability to generate cash flow.
Kroger’s ability to achieve these goals may also be affected by Kroger’s ability to manage the factors identified above.
Kroger’s effective tax rate may differ from the expected rate due to changes in laws, the status of pending items with various taxing authorities, and the deductibility of certain expenses.
Kroger assumes no obligation to update the information contained herein. Please refer to Kroger’s reports and filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a further discussion of these risks and uncertainties.
Kroger Chairman and CEO Rodney McMullen Appointed to American Heart Association CEO Roundtable
CINCINNATI — The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) today announced that Rodney McMullen, Kroger’s chairman and CEO, has been appointed to the American Heart Association (AHA) CEO Roundtable. McMullen joins more than 40 CEOs who are committed to improving the health and well-being of their employees and communities.
“Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S., directly impacting our associates, customers and communities every day,” said McMullen. “I believe that through food education, engagement and innovation, we can change the way Americans think about their heart health and overall well-being. I’m honored to represent The Kroger Co. as a member of the American Heart Association CEO Roundtable, and I am excited to partner with my fellow roundtable members to turn actionable health strategies into results.”
Formed in 2013, the AHA CEO Roundtable is dedicated to implementing evidence-based approaches to workplace health. Together, the leadership collaborative—representing many of the world’s largest and most admired companies—works to design, test, evaluate and scale workplace health initiatives.
“As an influential leader for one of the largest retailers in the U.S., Rodney is a champion of workplace and community health,” said Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association. “We welcome Rodney to the American Heart Association CEO Roundtable leadership collaborative and look forward to working together on innovative solutions to help employees and communities live longer, healthier lives.”
For the third consecutive year, Kroger Health is offering free heart health screenings to customers throughout American Heart Month. The one-on-one consultations, performed by Kroger Health’s licensed healthcare professionals, provide customers with personalized health and wellness recommendations based on cholesterol, blood pressure, body mass index (BMI) and blood glucose results. The free screenings are available at more than 2,000 Kroger Family of Pharmacies locations through Saturday, Feb. 29.
“Our vision is to help people live healthier lives,” said Colleen Lindholz, president of Kroger Health. “By offering free heart health screenings this February, we hope to encourage our customers to proactively safeguard their heart health, not only during American Heart Month, but also throughout their lifelong health and wellness journey.”
Since 2017, Kroger’s Family of Pharmacies has provided more than 85,000 free heart health screenings as part of Kroger Health’s mission to simplify the way healthcare is delivered in America. To learn more about heart-healthy tips or to sign up for a free heart health screening, visit www.kroger.com/hearthealth.
About Kroger
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 Kroger Health:
Kroger Health is one of America’s leading retail healthcare organizations, with over 2,200 pharmacies and 200 clinics in 37 states. Our team of 22,000 healthcare practitioners – from pharmacists and nurse practitioners, to dietitians and technicians – help simplify healthcare by providing solutions that combine health, wellness, and nutrition, connecting with customers on an emotional and personal level.
Global Leaders Unite Under the Food Action Alliance to Deliver a Better Future for the People and the Planet
Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, 22 January 2020 – The World Economic Forum, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and Rabobank, together with a growing roster of private and public sector partners have come together to launch the Food Action Alliance (FAA). The FAA brings together the international community to tackle an urgent historic challenge: to reshape the way we think, produce, supply and consume food.
The FAA is a coalition of organizations and initiatives who through collective action significantly strengthen the impact of agricultural value chains to produce food efficiently, sustainably and accessibly, in support of a transition to healthier diets and improved environmental outcomes. The FAA builds on the extensive experience of World Economic Forum’s New Vision for Agriculture initiative.
It mobilizes a next generation of multistakeholder partnerships that build on existing synergies and complementary capacities to deliver food systems that are efficient, sustainable, inclusive, nutritious and healthy in line with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It does so by providing a framework for collective knowledge and action on systemic issues such as on food security and nutrition, inclusive growth and decent jobs, environmental sustainability and climate resilience – affecting the sustainability of global food systems.
Partners of the FAA include African Development Bank (AfDB), Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), Bayer AG, Bharat Krishak Samaj (Farmers’ Forum India), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Global Environmental Facility (GEF), Grow Africa, Grow Asia, IDH – The Sustainable Trade Initiative, Indigo Ag, Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Rabobank, Royal DSM, Southern African Confederation of Agricultural Unions (SACAU), UPL, World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), WWF International and the World Economic Forum.
“Partners in the Food Action Alliance believe that fragmentation within the current food system represents the most significant hurdle to feeding a growing population nutritiously and sustainably. We urgently need new business models and innovative partnerships to transform the way food is produced, supplied and consumed,” said Sean de Cleene, Member of the Executive Committee and Head of Food Systems Initiative, World Economic Forum.
To achieve a vision for efficient, sustainable, inclusive, nutritious and healthy food systems, the FAA brings together stakeholders from all sectors – government, business, farmer associations, international organizations, civil society and academia – to mobilize a country driven agenda towards meeting the SDGs. Ishmael Sunga, Chief Executive Officer of the Southern African Confederation of Agricultural Unions (SACAU) said: “Putting farmers at the heart of discussions for solutions and actions is key to implement pathways for food systems transformation. Partners in the Alliance have the potential to significantly support economic development, decent jobs, sustainable and resilient agriculture practices, benefiting millions of smallholder farmers.”
The current food system is not structured to cope with a rapidly growing population, climate shocks and the rise of hunger and obesity. Under business-as-usual scenarios, an estimated 637 million people will be undernourished while health systems could face a bill of $1.2 trillion every year from 2025 for treating medical conditions related to obesity. Today’s agricultural supply chain, from farm to fork, accounts for between 21% to 37% of greenhouse gas emissions.
The food system is inefficient in many respects. For example, around one-third of food, accounting for around $1 trillion, is wasted across the supply chain. Many farming methods that are successful in increasing output – and therefore farmer incomes – deplete natural resources such as soils and forests, making them unsustainable in the longer term.
“We need wider and deeper collaboration along the food value chain to de-risk investing in agriculture. This will in turn allow financial system partners and investors to come in and provide the much-needed access to finance. The Food Action Alliance brings these players together in coalitions, which can jointly create solutions for people, planet and markets,” said Wiebe Draijer, Chairman of the Managing Board, Rabobank.
The Food Action Alliance will play a key role in advancing the goals toward the United Nations 2021 Food Systems Summit, which will bring together the international community raising the urgency for food system transformation to the highest level. Agnes Kalibata, President, AGRA and the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the 2021 Food Systems Summit said: “We need transformative thinking and action to achieve the goals we have set for ourselves by 2030 – for people, for the environment and for our shared future. By demonstrating concrete business models and pathways to transforming food systems, the Food Action Alliance is a great example of a new approach that can make a significant contribution to the 2021 Food System Summit and, more importantly, deliver on aspirations of countries and all our people.”
The Food Action Alliance will be initially active in Latin America, Africa, India and South-East Asia. Various multistakeholder consultations are taking place to identify flagship opportunities for improving the scale and sustainability of existing agricultural value chains. Expert groups focused on generating and disseminating knowledge and developing new solutions on issues such as resilient farming practices, financial solutions and technology platforms will support existing and new initiatives.
“The Food Action Alliance provides the links between projects, initiatives and organizations needed to achieve change at scale. Together, we believe that coordinated action has the potential to improve the economic livelihoods of hundreds of millions of smallholder farming families and create a sustainable food system for future generations”, said Gilbert F. Houngbo, President of IFAD.
The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2020 is taking place from 21-24 January in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland. The meeting brings together nearly 3,000 global leaders from government, international organizations, business, civil society, media, culture, foremost experts and the young generation from all over the world, at the highest level and in representative ways. Convening under the theme, Stakeholders for a Cohesive and Sustainable World, participants are focused on defining new models for building sustainable and inclusive societies in a plurilateral world. The meeting engages some 50 heads of state and government, more than 300 ministerial-level government participants and business representation at the chief executive officer and chair level.
