Oser Communications Group

RETAILER NEWS GOURMET NEWS JANUARY 2014 www.gourmetnews.com 15 Command Packaging Developing Bag Ban-Compliant Plastic Reusable Bags for Grocery Stores Command Packaging, the U.S. manufacturer of reusable shopping and restaurant bags, recently announced that it is investing up to $25 million to manufacture bag ban-compliant plastic reusable grocery bags. In anticipation of the Los Angeles bag ban and a possible California statewide law, Command Packaging has engineered an affordable and sustainable plastic reusable bag called smarterbags™. Made from recycled agricultural plastic collected in California, smarterbags are a cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative to single-use paper bags and reusable cloth bags. "Our retail customers and the consumer are looking for a cost-effective and sustainable solution where bag bans have been implemented. The smarterbags solution is sensible, simple and sustainable," said Pete Grande, CEO of Command Packaging. "It's time to address the single-use grocery bag issue without initiating a return to less environmentally friendly options like paper bags." Smarterbags meet all standards to qualify as reusable bags in California cities that have implemented bag ban ordinances. The bags are strong and are engineered to be used 125 times. The product is easy to carry, easy to use and durable in all types of weather. Sold for the same 10 cent price point as single-use paper bags, smarterbags are both environmentally and economically beneficial to consumers. According to U.S. government reports, the California agricultural industry uses more than 100 million pounds of plastic each year, and virtually all of that is sent to landfills. Command Packaging is the first U.S. company to adopt and implement the successful European recycling model which requires agricultural plastic to be recycled and used in the manufacturing of other recyclable products like reusable grocery bags. For those interested in carrying smarterbags in their grocery or retail stores, contact Erin Grande, National Sales Manager for smarterbags at Erin@smarterbags.com. Founded in 1989, Command Packaging is a U.S. manufacturer of reusable shopping and restaurant bags. The company prides itself on providing the highest quality and most environmentally friendly plastic bags to the nation's top retail stores and restaurants. For more information, visit www.commandpackaging.com. GN Bi-Lo Holdings to Rebanner Sweetbay And Reid's Stores Bi-Lo Holdings, LLC, parent company of the BI-LO and Winn-Dixie supermarket chains, intends to continue the Harveys banner name and retire the Sweetbay and Reid's banner names following the close of its transaction with Delhaize Group, parent company of Sweetbay, Harveys and Reid's supermarket chains. In May 2013, Bi-Lo Holdings and Delhaize entered into a definitive agreement under which Bi-Lo Holdings will acquire substantially all of the stores in the Sweet- bay, Harveys and Reid's supermarket chains from Delhaize. The transaction is anticipated to close in the first quarter of 2014. Upon the close of the transaction, Sweetbay stores will convert to the Winn-Dixie banner and Reid's stores will convert to the BI-LO banner. Pending regulatory review, Bi-Lo Holdings intends to retain all storelevel associates within the stores being acquired and operated. The majority of Harveys stores will remain branded as they are today, though a few Harveys stores may convert to the Winn-Dixie or BI-LO banner as well. Conversion of the banner names is anticipated to begin in early 2014. "Sweetbay, Harveys and Reid's have outstanding reputations, and their talented teams of associates have played a key role in making these stores an important part of the communities they serve," said Randall Onstead, President and CEO of Bi-Lo Holdings. "We are pleased to soon welcome the outstanding associates of all three chains to the Bi-Lo Holdings family." Bi-Lo Holdings, LLC, is the ninth-largest conventional supermarket chain in the United States. The company employs nearly 60,000 associates who serve customers in 686 grocery stores and 482 in-store pharmacies throughout the southeastern states. BI-LO and Winn-Dixie are well-known and well-respected regional brands with deep heritages, strong neighborhood ties, proud histories of giving back, talented and loyal associates and strong commitments to providing the best possible quality and value to customers. GN

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