Stater Bros. lightens energy load

Stater Bros. Markets is decreasing electricity output this summer.



The San Bernadino, California-based regional supermarket chain is voluntarily reducing lighting energy use by 50% in all 168 Stater Bros. locations during the summer months. This reduction will decrease electricity use by 425,000 kWh per month, which is the equivalent of powering 470 homes per month. It also reduces the possibility of rotating outages during the summer.



“Every day during summer months, all 168 Stater Bros. supermarket locations will voluntarily reduce lighting energy use by 50%, from 12 noon to 6 p.m.” said Pete Van Helden, president and CEO of Stater Bros. Markets. “Energy use peaks during this time and our energy reduction efforts underscore Stater Bros.' ongoing commitment to the environment, community and our employees.



Other environmentally friendly efforts at Stater Bros. include closed-door cases and LED lighting, reducing energy by 60% per refrigerated case in 85% of its supermarkets. The company is working toward full rollout by 2018. In addition, Stater Bros. is using LED lighting for refrigerated cases in all stores and LED lighting for sales floor in remodels and new stores. Other initiatives include energy management systems in all stores that control energy usage and demand, as well as a “green waste” program that removed more than 34 million pounds of waste to help produce biofuel, animal feed and compost for agriculture.



In addition, Stater Bros. Markets has received the “Best Emissions Rate” Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) GreenChill Partnership for having the lowest corporate-wide refrigerant emissions rate of all the GreenChill partners. The company is also the only grocer to have seven stores in California that have received the EPA GreenChill Gold Level certification.