Smith’s Celebrates Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Achievements
Smith’s Food & Drug Stores, a division of The Kroger Co. has announced its latest milestones and results for Zero Hunger | Zero Waste, the company’s bold vision to end hunger in the communities it serves and eliminate waste across the company by 2025.
“Zero Hunger | Zero Waste is shaping the local discussion around how to end hunger and eliminate waste across America,” said Aubriana Martindale, Smith’s corporate affairs manager. “At Smith’s, we are intently focused on using our scale for good andwe encourage our customers, associates and other businesses to join us.”
Kroger announced Zero Hunger | Zero Waste in September 2017. Since then, the retailer has worked relentlessly to drive change and conversations inside and outside the company. Through leadership, engagement and commitment, Kroger and Smith’s continue to make progress in its journey to achieve Zero Hunger | Zero Waste. Smith’s notable 2019 milestones include:
Zero Hunger
• Smith’s donated more than 14 million meals to communities across the Intermountain West.
• Smith’s rescued 5.6 million pounds of safe nutritious food that could no longer be sold in its retail stores, or shipped from its distribution centers and manufacturing plants, for Feeding America® food banks.
• Smith’s increased meal donations through its Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Food Rescue program by 15%.
Zero Waste
• Smith’s diverted 24,000 tons from landfills across its seven-state footprint.
• Smith’s increased year-over-year food waste diversion by 17%.
• Smith’s achieved Zero Waste operations in both of their manufacturing plants located in Layton, UT and Henderson, NV.
• Smith’s increased total recycling efforts by 10% in plastic and 6% in cardboard.
• Kroger & Smith’s have committed to eliminating single-use plastic grocery bags from its family of stores by 2025.
• Kroger launched the Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Innovation Fund, a program of The Kroger Co. Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Foundation, awarding $1 million in grants to innovators developing solutions to prevent food waste. “It takes everyone working together to achieve a world with Zero Hunger | Zero Waste, and we are continuously inspired by our associates who are leading the way,” said Aubriana Martindale, Smith’s Manager Corporate Affairs.
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At Smith’s Food & Drug, a company of The Kroger Co., we are Fresh for Everyone and dedicated to our Purpose: To Feed the Human Spirit. In everything we do, we’re guided by our values and our Purpose: to Feed the Human Spirit. We strive to make decisions that balance the safety of our associates with our commitments to our customers and communities. And above all else, we’ll be there for our communities when they need us most.