Big Y News - Big Y® World Class Market™

SPRINGFIELD, MA (April 6, 2009) - Big Y Foods, Inc. will be initiating their own stimulus investments over the next year primarily in the following 4 supermarkets with an eye towards increased efficiency as well as energy resource conservation. According to company executives, they plan to invest over $3 million to upgrade their facilities. These upgrades will all employ more than 25 different local contractors from Connecticut and Western Massachusetts, thus providing additional help with the local economy. These local contractors would include architects and engineers as well as trades such as electricians, plumbers, carpenters, painters and heating, ventilation and air conditioning technicians.

In Massachusetts, the Big Y Supermarket in Adams has just completed the addition of a Big Y Pharmacy to better serve the needs of that community. This pharmacy joins the other 32 Big Y Pharmacies in the chain for a total of 33 locations.

In Stafford, CT, the Big Y World Class Market will incorporate the Big Y Pharmacy from another location in the shopping center to right inside the market. Renovations will include the use of many innovative technologies including more energy efficient appliances and LED lights. (Light emitting diodes or LED’s present many advantages over traditional light sources including lower energy consumtion, and longer life). Refrigerated cases will use high efficiency fan motors and the “waste” heat from the refrigeration units will be captured to supply the store’s hot water requirements. Plans also include new and upgraded rest rooms and voluntary compliance with the state of Connecticut’s Fat, Oil and Grease (FOG) initiative that separates these by-products from waste water and town storm drains. FOG essentially helps to dramatically reduce ground water pollution.

Also in Connecticut, the Naugatuck Big Y World Class Market will see upgrades in many of their fresh foods departments including the delicatessen and the prepared foods sections as well as produce. These additions will not only provide for more energy efficiency, but their added space will allow the market to carry more natural foods and beverages. In addition, more energy efficient lighting will improve customer shopping and enhance the store that was originally built in 1995.

The Monroe, CT Big Y World Class Market will undergo an interior refurbishing to include delicatessen, prepared foods, bottle return room and rest rooms as well as new floor tile, an enhanced ceiling and some exterior work as well. All new cases will be outfitted with high efficiency motors and have increased “R” value adding to the decrease of their carbon footprint.

In addition to small improvements in about a dozen of their supermarkets, Big Y has invested in added space available in several grocery aisles as well as energy efficient refrigerated cases where possible. Throughout the chain, new computer technology has enabled the checkout process to be both faster and more secure. Lastly, new security cameras are being installed in each location so as to deter theft and increase customer security.

According to Frank J. Horacek, Vice President – Real Estate & Development, “As a locally owned and operated company, Big Y continues to aggressively invest in its employees and its facilities in order to better serve the communities in which we operate and to conserve our energy resources into the future. We remain positive that these investments will help the company to exceed our customers’ evolving expectations during these challenging economic times.”

Headquartered in Springfield, MA, Big Y is one of the largest independently owned supermarket chains in New England. Proud to be family owned and operated, they currently operate 57 stores throughout Connecticut and Massachusetts with over 9,100 employees. Founded in 1936 by brothers Paul and Gerald D’Amour, the store was named after an intersection in Chicopee, Massachusetts where two roads converge to form a “Y”.