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UKROP’S LOCAL TRUCKS TO RUN ON BIODIESEL FUEL
FROM RECYCLED CHICKEN-FRYER OIL
Effort is part of company’s ongoing commitment to promote environmental sustainability
RICHMOND, Va. – June 19, 2008 - Ukrop’s Super Markets, Inc. today announced its latest “Go Green” effort to promote environmental sustainability through the use of alternative energy sources.
With its continued emphasis on “Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle,” Ukrop’s has begun recycling the soy oil from its chicken-frying operation by processing it into biodiesel fuel for its fleet of 15 trucks and 45 refrigerated trailers, serving 28 local stores in the Richmond area. On average, the Richmond-area Ukrop’s fleet travels some 1.3 million miles per year using some 275,000 gallons of diesel fuel.
“Ukrop’s expects to locally produce 50,000 to 65,000 gallons of biodiesel fuel per year,” said Ukrop’s Director of Technical Services Pat Hadden. “Our local Richmond partner RECO Biodiesel, Inc. will pick up the chicken-fryer oil from the participating Ukrop's and take it to their operations to make B100 biodiesel.”
“Another local company, Southside Fuel, will ‘splash blend’ the B100 biodiesel to make an industry standard 15 percent blend of B15 biodiesel,” Hadden added. “At this time, we cannot exceed the 15 percent blend of biodiesel due to the technical requirement of our fleet’s equipment. We anticipate creating more than enough of this clean-burning, alternative fuel to run our local truck fleet for an entire year.”
Hadden, who also leads Ukrop’s composting program that has kept more than 16 million pounds of the grocer’s fruit and vegetable trimmings out of area landfills since 2002, added, “In a sense, we will be using our oil twice, helping to reduce our carbon footprint. In addition, the locally-sourced, recycled vessels used to collect the frying oil are environmentally friendly in keeping with Ukrop’s sustainability focus.”
Background on program
In 2005, Ukrop’s began assessing the feasibility of reusing the oil from its chicken-frying operation to fuel its truck fleet, and 18 months ago the company intensified its efforts. Currently, Ukrop’s is collecting this oil from 11 of its stores including stores in Chesterfield, Hanover, and Henrico counties as well as the city of Richmond.
Ukrop’s President and Chief Executive Officer Bobby Ukrop shared, “We are pleased that the idea first envisioned several years ago has reached fruition. We are unsure as to the net loss or gain financially at this point; however, using our recycled chicken-frying oil to fuel our trucks just seemed like the right thing to do. It’s another component of our company-wide commitment to promoting sustainability by reducing, reusing, and recycling.
Media Contacts:
Susan Rowe
Ukrop’s Super Markets Inc.
804-340-3104
Susan.Rowe@ukrops.com
Jonathan Rhudy
For Ukrop’s Super Markets Inc.
804-897-0763
jonathan@rhudy.biz
About Ukrop’s
Ukrop's Super Markets, Inc., founded and headquartered in Richmond, Va., with more than 5,500 associates now operates 28 retail food stores, Joe's Market (a regional specialty market), a central bakery and kitchen, and a distribution center. Since 1937, the privately held business remains dedicated to its version of the Golden Rule: “Treating customers, associates, and suppliers as they personally want to be treated.” Each year, Ukrop's gives a minimum of 10 percent of its pre-tax profits back to the community. Ukrop's was a pioneer in both loyalty marketing and meal solutions when it launched its Valued Customer® program in 1987 and its chilled prepared foods in 1989. In 1997, Ukrop's established a unique partnership to place banks in its retail locations. Today, it co-owns, with Markel Corporation, 25 First Market Bank branches in Ukrop's locations and 12 free-standing branches. www.ukrops.com
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