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SUPERVALU to Celebrate Black History Month with Special Events, Donations
MINNEAPOLIS-(Business Wire)-January 30, 2008 - In honor of Black History Month, SUPERVALU INC. (NYSE:SVU) and its nationwide family of stores, including the Acme, Albertsons, bigg's, Cub Foods, Farm Fresh, Jewel-Osco, Lucky, Shaw's, Shop 'n Save and Shopper's Food & Pharmacy retail banners, will host a variety of events and in-store activities throughout the month of February to celebrate the culture and achievements of African-Americans, and their contributions to the country's rich history. The company also will donate more than $300,000 to African-American non-profit organizations nationwide during the month.
"Black History Month gives us an opportunity to recognize the significant contributions that African-Americans have made to our country," said Jeff Noddle, SUPERVALU chairman and CEO. "At SUPERVALU, we are proud to be able to provide support to African-American community organizations and vendors not only during Black History Month but throughout the year. Our commitment to building a culture of diversity is a key component of our business strategy and vital to our ability to serve customers and associates better than anyone else."
Celebratory events include:
— SUPERVALU and Coca-Cola are joining forces to donate $150,000 to 49 non-profit organizations nationwide as part of Coca-Cola's "A Moment of Inspiration, a Lifetime of Black History" month-long celebration. Among the organizations receiving grants are the DuSable Museum of African-American History in Chicago; the African-American Museum in Philadelphia; the Girls Club of Los Angeles; the YMCA of Metropolitan Minneapolis; and the Urban League of Greater Cincinnati.
— Also in conjunction with Coca-Cola, SUPERVALU will host viewing parties of the upcoming PBS program "African-American Lives II" in Minneapolis, Chicago, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. This program highlights the heritage of well-known African-Americans.
— Select SUPERVALU banner stores, in partnership with Unilever, will host store tours and educational programs for third- and fourth-grade students from local inner-city schools. Department managers and company dieticians will speak to the children about African-American history, as well as how grocery stores operate and how to make healthy food choices to prevent dietary-related diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and childhood obesity. Participating students will receive gift bags with nutritious snacks and a redeemable gift card from the relevant SUPERVALU banner store. Contributing brands include Annie's Homegrown, Bare Naked Granola, Grandma Maud's, Horizon Milk, Kellogg's, Kraft, Sara Lee and Unilever.
— SUPERVALU, in partnership with Colgate, General Mills, Kellogg's, Kraft and Unilever, will donate a portion of sales on select products to African-American non-profit organizations nationwide. Featured products, which vary by market, will include Colgate's Total toothpaste and Palmolive dish liquid; General Mills' Hamburger Helper; Kellogg's Frosted Flakes Gold and All-Bran Strawberry Medley; Kraft's Mac & Cheese special five-packs; and Unilever's Lawry's, Caress and Vaseline Intensive Care items. Donations on the funds raised through these partnerships are expected to total at least $100,000.
— Customers will be able to sample items and dishes featuring African-American vendor products at select store locations during the month. Through SUPERVALU's vendor diversity program, the company works with small, minority-owned businesses to help them gain access to its store shelves, which in turn allows the company to better meet the needs and desires of its diverse customer base. SUPERVALU will be featuring more than 30 African-American vendors nationally. Showcase items include Smokey Robinson's Meals, Reggio's Pizza, Magnolia Tea, Michelle's Syrup, Mumbo BBQ Sauce, Grandma Maud's Meals and Spices, New Orlean's Bill Potato Salad, Mix & Match Popcorn, Comfort Cake, Baldwin Ice Cream, Andy's Breading, Wild Garden Brands, and Real Men Cook Cake Mix.
— Smokey Robinson, who works with SUPERVALU through its vendor diversity program, will participate in Black History Month celebrations with executives, associates and customers in Minneapolis/St. Paul and Washington, D.C. At the Minnesota event, SUPERVALU and Cub Foods will present LoveWorks Academy, an urban elementary school, with a $10,000 donation.
"At SUPERVALU, we're committed to building a diverse culture, one that values, encourages and respects the ideas, experiences and contributions of all associates," said Darnell Allen, SUPERVALU vice president of diversity and inclusion. "Diversity and inclusion energizes associates, creates a competitive edge and drives improved performance."
"SUPERVALU's Supplier Diversity department works to ensure that we are providing our customers with a wide range of products and services that best meet their diverse needs," added Mike Byron, SUPERVALU corporate director, supplier diversity. "By maintaining a diverse supplier base, we are helping to create sustained economic and systemic growth in the communities we serve which gives us a competitive edge."
For more information about events in their area, customers should contact their local stores. Contact information can be found at www.supervalu.com by clicking on each retail banner logo.
About SUPERVALU INC.
SUPERVALU INC. is one of the largest companies in the United States grocery channel with estimated annual sales of approximately $44 billion. SUPERVALU holds leading market share positions across the U.S. with its approximately 2,450 retail grocery locations, including more than 900 in-store pharmacies. Through SUPERVALU's nationwide supply chain network, the company provides distribution and related logistics support services to more than 5,000 grocery endpoints across the country. SUPERVALU currently has approximately 190,000 employees. For more information about SUPERVALU visit www.supervalu.com.
