K-VA-T Upgrades to Energy Efficient LED Lighting

Regional independent K-VA-T recently upgraded to GE Lighting’s Immersion RV40 LED lighting system across its 89 Food City stores in an effort to reduce energy costs and maintenance requirements of fluorescent lighting fixtures in its vertical refrigerated and frozen cases.

The grocer expects to see at least a $300,000 drop in annual case lighting costs based on an electricity rate of $11 cents per kilowatt hour and having the case lights on eighteen hours each day.

“The biggest expense was not replacement lamps and ballasts, but sending contractors to the stores to begin with,” notes Keith Norton, director of engineering for Food City, “Preventative maintenance measures were costing Food City more than $5 per door per year, or $37,000 annually.”

Added to maintenance savings, Food City’s lighting and refrigeration costs have fallen an estimated $337,000 a year.

The visual appeal of the products also played a role in Food City’s decision to choose the GE system. Using advanced optics, the Immersion RV40 system greatly diminishes glare while helping bring to life the full vibrancy of food packaging colors, according to GE Lighting.

Abingdon, Va.-based K-VA-T operates 104 retail grocery stores, with 76 pharmacies and 71 fuel stations under the Food City, Super Dollar, and Gas ‘N Go banners throughout Kentucky, Virginia and Tennessee