LOS ANGELES, Calif., Dec. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Ralphs Supermarkets has been
named "Retailer of the Decade" by the Mexican American Grocers Association
(MAGA), the nation's largest Hispanic food retailing trade organization.
Ralphs was honored for "25 years of outstanding service" to MAGA and the
Hispanic community at MAGA's 25th Annual Scholarship Awards Banquet at Los
Angeles' Millennium Biltmore Hotel on December 5.
"Ralphs has been a key partner to MAGA and our scholarship foundation and
to the success we have had over the past 25 years," said Steven A. Soto,
MAGA's president and CEO. "Ralphs, in fact, was our first retail member.
Ralphs has participated in every event and endeavor we have undertaken -- our
conferences, banquets, meetings and legislative efforts. And Ralphs has an
enviable record regarding its hiring and diversity policies."
Ralphs has been a member of MAGA since 1977. Ralphs is MAGA's most
generous supporter. Since 1977, Ralphs has contributed more than $400,000 to
MAGA and to the MAGA Foundation, which provides college scholarships to
deserving students.
John Burgon, president of Ralphs Supermarkets, accepted the "Retailer of
the Decade" award on behalf of Ralphs.
"Ralphs is proud of its longtime association and support of MAGA," said
John Burgon, president of Ralphs Supermarkets. "We share in MAGA's commitment
to the Hispanic community. At Ralphs, we take pride in the diversity of our
suppliers, our products, our customers and our most valuable asset -- our
people. We believe in MAGA's philosophy that our business activities must
make good social sense and our social activities must make good business
sense."
This marks the second time MAGA has recognized Ralphs' efforts on behalf
of the Hispanic community. In 2000, Ralphs received MAGA's "Commitment to
Excellence" award.
"Ralphs is to be commended for the commitment it has made to invest back
into the community through its charitable and business activities," said Soto.
"Ralphs' commitment has extended to its support of MAGA and MAGA's efforts to
provide job and educational opportunities to Hispanics."
Headquartered in Los Angeles, the Mexican American Grocers Association is
a national nonprofit organization, founded in 1977, by a small group of
Mexican-American retail grocery store owners. MAGA's goal is to help both
retail and manufacturing segments of the grocery industry capture a larger
share of the burgeoning Mexican/Latino market, and in doing so, increase
community access to quality grocery products. In addition, MAGA and its
member companies, including Ralphs, have raised nearly $2 million in
scholarship grants for Hispanic students preparing for careers in the grocery
industry.
Ralphs was founded in 1873 and currently operates more than
350 supermarkets under the Ralphs, Cala Foods and Bell Markets banners in
California from its headquarters in Los Angeles. The company is a division of
The Kroger Co., (NYSE: KR), one of the nation's largest food retailers, based
in Cincinnati, Ohio. For more information about Ralphs, please visit our web
site at http://www.ralphs.com .
SOURCE Ralphs
 back to top
Related links:
http://www.ralphs.com
CONTACT:
Terry O'Neil of Ralphs Grocery Company,
+1-310-884-4680
|
