I was in my local Kroger Store Wednesday. I picked up about $50 worth of organic fruits and snacks for the boys to head to school. As I was leaving I stopped to talk to Gloria, who has been joyfully chatting with us as she stocks the shelves for at least 5 years. While chatting I spied a carton of peaches, pears, bananas, apples overflowing with slightly bruised fruit, it was on a straight road to the dumpster. I asked Gloria if I could have it, take it home and make applesauce for the kids at school. She said unfortunately they are unable to do that because of liability. Gloria also told me the only way they can move it out of the store is to the trash or full price, due to Kroger policy regarding liability. I couldn't believe what I had just heard! Especially knowing that at other grocery stores offer 2nd rate produce at significant discount. It's called REDUCED FOR QUICK SALE!
I was so stunned that I couldn't bring that food home for a better price or free. So I asked to speak to the manager. Dan Watson, has been the Store Manager at my grocer for the entire 5 years I've been shopping there. I love his store, friendly people, good prices, clean shelves and floor. It's part of our community. Surely I thought Dan would understand my plight.
Unfortunately Dan explained, just as Gloria had that the copious boxes of organic peaches could only leave the store with a full price tag, or to the dumpster. Dan and I talked of the stupidity and sadness of this and the HIGHER UPS! I asked Dan if I could mention his name and call my way up to the CEO to discuss this problem.
Dan said go for it, you're not the first person to ask. I told Dan, "I may not be the first person to ask, but I could be the last!"
Please help me persuade Kroger to make a better decision with the bruised fruit. There are children going hungry out on the streets today. Those wholesome, nutrition peaches, apples, oranges, could have been quite a hardy lunch for a family in need.
Tell KROGER to put this food into the hands of children, not in the TRASH!
David Dillon, do you want to be standing at the pearly gates with a peach in your hand? A small child tugs your shirt and asks "Sir, I'm hungry, may I have the peach, please??" What will you say to him, then? What do you want to feed your children?
I would ask you to forward this email to them, but it's proving to be difficult to find an email address for Kroger. And I can't help wonder, why, why, why would Kroger not want their customers to EASILY contact them.
If you have a moment, copy this message and email it using the form on their website. Alternatively you could pick up the phone and call their 1-800-576-4377 policy inquiry line. Perhaps even more powerful would be to go into a Kroger and ask the manager where the bad fruit goes? Tell them the kids want to know.
