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Amid pandemic, grocery chains get ‘seal of approval’ for health, safety practices

Ingles, Brookshire’s, Cub, Coborn’s, Bristol Farms, Lazy Acres join Ecolab Science Certified program

Russell Redman

February 18, 2021

4 Min Read
Coborns cart sanitizing-COVID.png
In November, Coborn's began using electrostatic cleaning sprayers to disinfect carts to minimize the surface spread of COVID-19.Coborn's

With COVID-19 still a big concern to shoppers, six supermarket chains from across the country have joined the Ecolab Science Certified program to bring a “seal of approval” to public health and safety conditions at their stores. 

With the move, Ingles Markets, Brookshire’s Food & Pharmacy, Cub Foods, Coborn’s, Bristol Farms and Lazy Acres have committed to “rigorous” cleaning protocols, training and audits to earn the Ecolab Science Certified seal, Ecolab Inc. said yesterday. The St. Paul, Minn.-based company is a global provider of water, hygiene and infection prevention solutions and services to businesses in the food, health care, hospitality and industrial markets.

The Ecolab Science Certified program combines advanced chemistries with public health and food safety training, as well as periodic auditing, to help the food retailers achieve a higher level of cleanliness amid health and safety challenges and new consumer expectations amid the coronavirus crisis and other emerging pathogens, according to Ecolab. By passing Ecolab’s independent audit and adhering to the program guidelines, the grocery chains will be able to display the official Ecolab Science Certified seal at their combined 475-plus store locations.

Brookshires Grocery-produce worker-face mask-COVID.jpg

Visible signs of health and safety practices, such as this Brookshire's associate donning a face mask and gloves, are a key element of the Ecolab Science Certified program for food retailers.

 

“The safety of our customers and associates has been of paramount importance to Ingles since the outbreak of the pandemic last year,” Ron Freeman, chief financial officer at Asheville, N.C.-based Ingles Markets, which operates 197 supermarkets in North Carolina, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and Alabama. “The Ecolab Science Certified program allows us to demonstrate our commitment to rigorous, science-based cleaning protocols, training and audits to our customers and associates. The program is an important part of our overall standards to help provide a safer and cleaner shopping experience and workplace by reducing the risk of exposure to germs, including the COVID-19 virus.” 

Related:Ahold Delhaize’s RBS pilots UV disinfection robots

The Science Certified program incorporates Ecolab’s expertise in helping keep hospitals, grocery stores, restaurants, hotels and other businesses clean. It employs the company’s science-based solutions and insights from a global team of 1,200 scientists, with audits performed by Ecolab specialists. 

In grocery stores, restaurants and hotels, key elements of the Ecolab Science Certified program include the use of hospital disinfectants and food-contact sanitizers — approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for use against COVID-19 virus and other pathogens — and elevated hygiene standards and protocols based U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines, according to Ecolab. Detailed public health and food safety training and regular auditing by Ecolab personnel ensure that public health and food safety practices are being followed, while front-of-house cleaning and disinfecting and the Ecolab Science Certified seal provide a visible sign of “cleaner, safer practices” to customers, the company said.

Related:Albertsons rolls out contactless temperature, health check solution

Proprietary consumer research conducted in May found that 72% of frequent grocery shoppers feel “very safe” or “extremely safe” knowing that hospital-grade disinfectants were being used in stores, Ecolab reported. Consumers also expressed greater feelings of safety knowing that a store’s cleaning and disinfecting practices are verified by an independent auditor with cleaning expertise. And an Ecolab survey last month revealed that 95% of consumers want “as much or more” cleaning and sanitation practices where they eat, stay and shop even after a COVID-19 vaccine becomes available.

Part of the Brookshire Grocery Co., Brookshire’s operates over 180 stores in Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas. In the Midwest, Cub Foods — a unit of grocery distributor United Natural Foods Inc. — has 79 locations in Minnesota and Illinois, and Coborn’s operates more than 60 supermarkets in Minnesota, Wisconsin and the Dakotas. And In Southern California, gourmet grocer Bristol Farms has 14 locations from Santa Barbara to Palm Desert, while natural food market Lazy Acres fields five stores from Santa Barbara to San Diego. 

“Through the Ecolab Science Certified program, we’re helping our customers recalibrate to meet higher standards throughout the industry,” commented Adam Johnson, vice president and general manager of Ecolab’s global food retail business. “We look forward to helping these leading food retailers build consumer confidence as they implement our comprehensive program.” 

About the Author

Russell Redman

Senior Editor
Supermarket News

Russell Redman has served as senior editor at Supermarket News since April 2018, his second tour with the publication. In his current role, he handles daily news coverage for the SN website and contributes news and features for the print magazine, as well as participates in special projects, podcasts and webinars and attends industry events. Russ joined SN from Racher Press Inc.’s Chain Drug Review and Mass Market Retailers magazines, where he served as desk/online editor for more than nine years, covering the food/drug/mass retail sector. 

Russell Redman’s more than 30 years of experience in journalism span a range of editorial manager, editor, reporter/writer and digital roles at a variety of publications and websites covering a breadth of industries, including retailing, pharmacy/health care, IT, digital home, financial technology, financial services, real estate/commercial property, pro audio/video and film. He started his career in 1989 as a local news reporter and editor, covering community news and politics in Long Island, N.Y. His background also includes an earlier stint at Supermarket News as center store editor and then financial editor in the mid-1990s. Russ holds a B.A. in journalism (minor in political science) from Hofstra University, where he also earned a certificate in digital/social media marketing in November 2016.

Russell Redman’s experience:

Supermarket News - Informa
Senior Editor 
April 2018 - present

Chain Drug Review/Mass Market Retailers - Racher Press
Desk/Online Editor 
Sept. 2008 - March 2018

CRN magazine - CMP Media
Managing Editor
May 2000 - June 2007

Bank Systems & Technology - Miller Freeman
Executive Editor/Managing Editor
Dec. 1996 - May 2000

Supermarket News - Fairchild Publications
Financial Editor/Associate Editor
April 1995 - Dec. 1996 

Shopping Centers Today Magazine - ICSC 
Desk Editor/Assistant Editor
Dec. 1992 - April 1995

Testa Communications
Assistant Editor/Contributing Editor (Music & Sound Retailer, Post, Producer, Sound & Communications and DJ Times magazines)
Jan. 1991 - Dec. 1992 

American Banker/Bond Buyer
Copy Editor
Oct. 1990 - Jan. 1991 

This Week newspaper - Chanry Communications
Reporter/Editor
May 1989 - July 1990

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