Food Lion announces it has made significant investments in 169 stores in North Carolina, South Carolina, lowered prices on 6,000 items, improved produce as part of 'Fresh From the Field' initiative

Cindy Allen

SALISBURY, North Carolina , November 12, 2013 (press release) – Customers Have Access to Thousands of New, Lower Prices, Fresher Produce and MVP Savings Centers

Food Lion announced today that it has made significant investments in 169 stores in North Carolina and South Carolina and created 500 new jobs. Key markets include Greenville, N.C., Wilmington, N.C., Columbia, S.C., Charleston, S.C., and Myrtle Beach, S.C.

To celebrate the launch, Food Lion is holding grand re-opening festivities at the 169 stores, including providing the first 50 customers at each location with a bag of free groceries Wednesday, Nov. 13 through Saturday, Nov. 16.

"With today's launch, nearly all Food Lion stores have received these store investments," said Greg Finchum, senior vice president of retail operations for Food Lion. "We invite customers to visit their local Food Lion, where they will experience firsthand new lower prices and other store enhancements, such as the greatest value in store brands and fresher produce. We hope that you will visit your local Food Lion and experience our changes."

Food Lion's key investments offer customers lower prices on 6,000 items throughout the store and access to quality store brand products at new lower prices, including the company's my essentials products. To further enhance customer savings, Food Lion has added MVP Savings Centers in each of its stores. Customers can scan their MVP Card to receive personalized offers for additional savings on national and private brand products in-store during their shopping trip.

The company also improved its produce as part of its "Fresh From the Field" initiative. Customers will experience better quality, enhanced freshness and expanded variety in Food Lion's produce section. In addition, Food Lion's produce and store brand products are backed by a double-your-money-back guarantee.

The investments are based on customer feedback and will continue to position the company for future success. A list of the 169 stores is available at www.foodlion.com/newsroom.

Food Lion also plans to donate $2,000 to local food banks, which will help each agency provide up to 10,000 meals to its constituents. Food banks receiving the donations include Harvest Hope Food Bank in Columbia, S.C.; Lowcountry Food Bank in Charleston, S.C.; Food Bank of Central & Eastern N.C. in Greenville, N.C.; Lowcountry Food Bank in Myrtle Beach, S.C.; and the Food Bank of Central & Eastern N.C. in Wilmington, N.C. In addition, Food Lion will continue working with these food banks in its ongoing efforts to fight food insecurity and relieve hunger in our communities. By the end of 2013, Food Lion is on track to donate more than 1.1 million pounds of food collectively to these agencies.

With today's announcement, the majority of Food Lion locations have now received these investments. The company launched 167 stores in the Raleigh and Fayetteville, N.C., markets in May 2011, 268 stores in March 2012 in Virginia, West Virginia and the Outer Banks of North Carolina, 269 stores in North Carolina and South Carolina, including its hometown markets of Salisbury, N.C, and Charlotte, N.C., in July 2012, and most recently, 178 stores in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia in May 2013.

Food Lion was founded in 1957 as Food Town in Salisbury, N.C., and has since grown to more than 1,100 stores in 10 states.

About Food Lion

Food Lion, based in Salisbury, N.C., is a company of Delhaize America, the U.S. division of Brussels-based Delhaize Group (DEG). Food Lion, with a longstanding heritage of low prices and convenient locations, operates more than 1,100 supermarkets in 10 Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic states, and employs approximately 57,000 associates. For more information, visit www.foodlion.com.

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