Food Lion has unveiled its fourth Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) store, at 7537 Richmond Road in Norge, Va. 

 

 Built to certification standards, the 35,000-square-foot store offers a range of eco-friendly features, among them LED lighting in the frozen food cases, bike racks and preferred parking for carpool vehicles, low-flow and sensor-activated water fixtures in restrooms, enhanced air quality from the use of low-toxicity materials and implementing proactive management plans throughout construction, environmental education through a store kiosk, purchasing a significant amount of building materials manufactured within 500 miles of each location to boost local economies and reduce energy expended on transportation, waste management plans to divert construction waste from landfills through recycling, customer and associate recycling programs, native and drought-resistant plant species that reduce irrigation requirements, an underground storage tank that captures rainwater from the roof and supplies all of the necessary irrigation for landscaping, and advanced storm water management techniques that increase the amount of rainfall absorbed on-site. The grocery chain is in the midst of procuring LEED certification for the store.

 "Food Lion has a long-standing commitment to serving as a caring neighbor, and is committed to being a strong corporate citizen in the communities in which we operate," said Kyle Mitchell, Delhaize America South VP of store development. "By building our fourth LEED grocery store ... we will reduce energy costs by more than 20 percent compared to a typical supermarket, as well as conserve 40 percent more water than other Food Lion stores."

 "We are dedicated to being Norge’s neighborhood grocery store," said Hayes Marshall, manager of the new store, which employs 60 associates. "Food Lion is committed to offering an expanded selection of quality products at great prices and providing an outstanding shopping experience to our customers."

The store also features a large fresh produce department and a deli/bakery with decorated cakes, specialty meats, cheeses and breads, as well as a capacious meat department featuring Butcher’s Brand Premium Beef, fresh pork, poultry, seafood, and a wide assortment of grocery items. Other amenities include Western Union services, Rug Doctor rentals, Blue Rhino propane exchange and a Coinstar kiosk.

Food Lion, based in Salisbury, N.C., is a subsidiary of Delhaize America, the U.S. division of Brussels-based Delhaize Group, and operates more than 1,100 supermarkets. The chain employs about 57,000 associates in 11 Southeast and Mid-Atlantic states.