inStorebuyer - September 2012 - (Page 30)

It’s Business Sustainability efforts make great press, but the business reasons make good sense. by Bob Sims Sustainability has become a buzzword in the last decade, and it’s in everyone’s best interest to take care of the earth and conserve natural resources. With consumers educating themselves more and actively participating in the “green” movement, it makes sense to put the word out about your store’s sustainability. But more than that, sustainability can lower operating costs, eliminate timeconsuming maintenance and make your store appeal to customers. Brookshire Brothers, headquartered in Lufkin, TX, operates 72 retail grocery stores in Texas and Louisiana. The chain’s simple and effective mission to “create a satisfied customer,” keeps Brookshire Brothers focused and aids it in making the right decisions regarding business decisions and practices. Recently, the company launched a facility-wide lighting update including instore, parking lot, refrigerated cases and exterior signage. These are the first steps to creating happy customers — and there are more to come. knowledge he needed when making the decision to change. “When you leave, you have a good feel for what they have and how different things can fit your program,” he says. “When we looked at options to impact our total energy costs, we identified several areas at different stores where new lighting, including LED fixtures, made a compelling case, both indoors and out,” Johnson says. “Shortly after we met with our GE Lighting team to understand the anticipated electricity and maintenance savings, it was an easy decision to move forward.” Making the decision Eric Johnson, director of construction for Brookshire Brothers, attends the GE Lighting Institute’s educational programs regularly. “You really get an in-depth look at new products, energy efficient strategies and things of that nature with their engineers and their product development people,” Johnson says. The ability to walk through the labs, see products being tested and talk to the people who invent and engineer the many products GE offers, Johnson acquired the Making the change As a normal course of business, Brookshire Brothers re-lamps on a regular basis. “Group re-lamping is an age-old strategy of going in and changing all the lamps at a given location all at once,” Johnson says. The practice of group re-lamping allows stores to avoid spot bulb replacements and going back and forth to change lamps as they start to dim or burn out. “You know that when you re-lamp, you know what your expected life is and at what level the light production starts falling off,” Johnson says. “You know the lifespan of the bulb, so you know the optimum time to let it burn and at what time to go in and change all the lamps.” | 30 | inStorebuyer | September 2012 |

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of inStorebuyer - September 2012

inStorebuyer - September 2012
CSM Bakery Products
editor’snote - Functional Food Gains
Contents
front linenews
Package Makes Perfect
baking&decorating - Donut Flavor Makeovers
bakerydevelopment - Breads on the Rise
delidevelopment - Prepared for Growth
100 Years of Weis-dom
It’s Business
packaginginnovation - Sustainable Branding
packaginginnovation - Single Scene
health&nutrition - inStore Buyer’s Healthful Top 10
cheesecorner - Right in the Backyard
producttrends
productshowcase
marketplacenetwork

inStorebuyer - September 2012