Kroger said Thursday that, upon completion of its intended merger with Albertsons Cos., the combined company would donate 10 billion meals by 2030 to feed people struggling with hunger as part of Kroger’s Zero Hunger | Zero Waste plan.
The controversial deal has faced opposition from retail and union groups and is under regulatory review.
"Our Zero Hunger | Zero Waste impact plan is centered around connecting people to the food they need to thrive," said Rodney McMullen, chairman and CEO of The Kroger Co., in a statement. "Today, we feed others through daily store donations of surplus fresh food for local food banks, charitable giving to organizations focused on feeding people, and coalitions of action to achieve our mission. Together, Kroger and Albertsons Cos. will be able to do much more for our communities than we can do separately."
When Kroger launched its Zero Hunger | Zero Waste plan in 2017, it committed to donating three billion meals by 2025. The retailer achieved that milestone in the first quarter of 2023. Albertsons Cos. has set similar meal donation goals as part of its Recipe for Change program and recently enhanced its commitment by announcing $9 million in Nourishing Neighbors Innovation Spark Grants to nonprofits committed to ending the cycle of hunger.
"At Albertsons Companies, we are incredibly proud of the work our teams do every day to reduce food insecurity in our local communities and help ensure all our neighbors have access to a nutritious meal," said Vivek Sankaran, CEO of Albertsons Cos, in a statement. "Combining our capabilities with Kroger will allow the combined company to set even more ambitious goals and make an even bigger difference in the communities we proudly serve."
The new goal to deliver 10 billion meals over 10 years will be made possible by bringing together the best of both companies' processes, including operational excellence and charitable giving, to accelerate a shared commitment to feeding people and reducing waste, especially food waste, according to Kroger.
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