Brown’s Super Stores Implements Comprehensive Sustainability Effort

Brown’s Super Stores, a family-owned business that operates 10 ShopRite stores in the Philadelphia area, has launched several sustainable efforts focused on reducing its carbon footprint.

This focus includes energy savings and efficiencies through refrigeration, LED lighting, recycling and food recovery, control management and solar energy. Brown’s recently achieved the EPA’s Energy Star Rating in six of its 11 facilities.

“We were recognized by the EPA for our commitment to the environment and the reduction of the carbon footprint of our stores,” said Jeff Brown, president of Brown’s Super Stores. “This accomplishment sets a standard for all our stores as we continue to look for ways to offer our customers an enjoyable shopping experience while taking responsibility for our impact on the environment.”

In an effort to reduce consumption, Brown’s has fully converted three of its 10 stores to 100 percent LED or induction lighting, which includes all refrigerated cases and overhead store lighting. Plans are in place to make lighting upgrades in five additional stores over the next year. These lighting upgrades will reduce electric consumption at Brown's by more than 20 percent in 2012.

Brown’s Super Stores has a strong commitment to recycling and food recovery efforts as well. In addition to the hundreds of tons of cardboard, bottles, cans and paper recycled each month, Brown’s has partnered with Pepsi and Waste Management to place Dream Machines in each store to enabling customers to recycle cans and bottles while contributing to charities of their choice. To date, 11,500 cans and bottles have been recycled through these Dream Machines. All ten Brown’s ShopRites have also joined the EPA’s Food Recovery Challenge, which encourages organizations to reduce, donate and recycle as much of their excess food as possible to save money, feed families in need and protect the environment.

Brown's has earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) prestigious Energy Star Rating in five of its stores, as well as its corporate office. The Energy Star is the national symbol for protecting the environment through superior energy performance. Brown’s Super Stores joins 1,800 Energy Star-certified supermarkets nationwide that have been recognized for their commitment to reducing their impact on the environment by reducing the amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere. With an Energy Star rating, Brown’s stores uses about 35 percent less energy than an average store, and cost 50 cents less per square foot to operate, while still providing quality service and comfort to customers.

Brown’s is tapping solar energy at its ShopRite of Parkside using an alternative energy source that is yet another savings concept for the company. The electricity generated by the 1386 solar panels installed on the roof of the store is generating more than 473,000 kilowatts annually and will account for 12 percent of the stores energy needs.

“We believe that renewable energy, recycling, energy management and state-of- the-art lighting systems should be part of our overall commitment to sustainability,” said David Deets, director of sustainability for Brown’s Super Stores. “Our corporate mission is to ‘Bring Joy to the Lives of the People We Serve’ and making advances in sustainability is an important part of this mission.”

Westville, N.J.-based Brown’s Super Stores is a family owned and operated supermarket chain of 10 Philadelphia area ShopRite supermarkets and was founded in 1988 by President and CEO Jeffrey Brown.