Hannaford Supermarkets opened its new Augusta, Maine, supermarket on July 25 – the first U.S. supermarket to be awarded Platinum LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification, the highest certification from the U.S. Green Buildings Council.
For years, Hannaford has been dedicated to reducing its environmental impact and providing organic foods at its 169 stores in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont. The new store incorporates Hannaford’s commitment to energy efficiency, renewable energy technologies, recycling and responsible sourcing.
The new structure was designed to cut typical energy use by a supermarket of its size in half and uses geothermal wells to regulate indoor temperature. The store’s refrigeration system utilizes 50 percent less gas than a traditional system.
Top 10 Supermarkets
In November 2008, Hannaford, which is owned by Belgian company Delhaize Group, was selected as one of the ten healthiest grocery stores out of the 35 largest food retailers in the United States by Health magazine. The supermarket was lauded for the impressive numbers of organic and local products and its Guiding Stars rating system designed to make nutritious selections easy for shoppers. Health magazine ranked Hannaford high also based on its healthy, affordable options, including its store brand, and free in-store nutrition classes; tours by registered dietitians.
Hannaford’s sister company, Food Lion, also owned by Delhaize, was named in the top ten list based on Food Lion’s commitment to organic products and Guiding Stars program. The full list includes Whole Foods, Safeway, Harris Teeter, Trader Joe's, Hannaford, Albertson's, Food Lion, Publix Super Markets, Pathmark and SuperTarget.
