Conyers, Ga. — Hillphoenix Industrial has formed a strategic partnership with Cool Refrigeration Systems & Solutions, based in Hagerstown, Md., to represent its industrial CO2 refrigeration systems solutions in the Eastern U.S. and Canada. This mutually beneficial partnership became official on March 20, 2024. “We’re excited about our partnership with Hillphoenix Industrial,” says Don Chason, managing partner of Cool Refrigeration Systems & Solutions. “Our team brings a high level of expertise in the industrial CO2 refrigeration market, which makes our relationship with Hillphoenix Industrial a perfect fit.” With a knowledgeable …
green news
Starbucks Announces 6,000 Greener Stores Worldwide
Seattle — Starbucks has certified 6,091 Greener Stores, nearly doubling its portfolio in the past year, and a milestone achievement toward the company’s goal of certifying 10,000 Greener Stores globally by 2025. In markets around the world, Greener Stores’ energy and water savings and waste diversion help advance the company’s goal to reduce carbon emissions, water usage and landfill waste by 50% by 2030. The company has Greener Stores in 44 markets with new markets including India, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, Vietnam, Bahrain, Italy, …
Asheville, N.C. — Wicked Weed Brewing and its main production brewery located in Candler, N.C., has been award GOLD certification under the TRUE (Total Resource Use and Efficiency) rating system. Administered by Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), TRUE helps facilities measure, improve and recognize zero waste performance by encouraging the adoption of sustainable waste management and reduction practices. Wicked Weed Brewing is one of only three breweries in the United States to receive zero waste certification. To reach this milestone, Wicked Weed diverted its waste to 99.3%, sending less than …
Cincinnati — JSI Store Fixtures, an LSI Industries Inc. company, has shipped its first order of refrigerated retail displays featuring environmentally friendly R290 refrigerant this month. JSI’s standalone refrigeration systems are a mainstay in the U.S. grocery market. The new R290 is a propane-based system that provides customers with an alternative product that is a non-toxic, zero ozone-depleting refrigerant with a Global Warming Potential (GWP) of 3, compared to common HFC Refrigerant having a GWP rating greater than 1,400. “Interest in this product is very high and we anticipate continued …
Salisbury, N.C. — Ahold Delhaize USA has promoted Marc Stolzman to chief sustainability officer, reporting to CEO JJ Fleeman. In this new role, Stolzman will oversee all aspects of health and sustainability for the U.S. businesses, including strategy and goal setting, in alignment with Ahold Delhaize global sustainability ambitions and commitments, as well as all U.S. regulatory, compliance and financial reporting. “As one of the largest food retailers on the East Coast, we are committed to being a sustainable retailer as we work to create healthier communities and a healthier …
Tamarac, Fla. — CITY Furniture, a family-owned American furniture and mattress retailer, fine upholstery manufacturer and one of America’s Top 20 furniture retailers, is marking its sustainability achievements in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) for the year 2023. “In the past year, we remained true to our Corporate Social Responsibility goals, reaching significant milestones across various initiatives,” says Andrew Koenig, CEO of CITY Furniture. “The hard work and dedication of our team, combined with our focus on customer satisfaction and sustainability, have been crucial to our success. We are committed to …
Panda Express Partners with GridPoint Across All U.S. Restaurant Locations
Reston, Va. — GridPoint, a leading cleantech company that decarbonizes commercial buildings and accelerates the transition to a sustainable energy future, has expanded its partnership with Panda Express, the largest Asian dining concept in the United States. With nearly 2,500 locations, Panda Express will deploy GridPoint Intelligence™ to all U.S. locations during the next 18 months to optimize energy consumption, reduce energy costs and ensure that all restaurants remain at maximum temperature comfort for its guests and associates throughout varied climate conditions year-round. “We have sought solutions that can deliver …
New York City — UNIQLO has formed a new partnership with The Nature Conservancy, a global nonprofit committed to helping preserve the environment for future generations. UNIQLO in the U.S. is contributing $150,000 that will go toward the organization’s ‘Plant a Billion Trees’ program, aiding in forest restoration to slow the spread of biodiversity loss and climate change. “We’re very proud to support The Nature Conservancy in their critical work around reforestation,” says Jean Shein, UNIQLO’s global director of sustainability. “UNIQLO’s brand purpose is to help make everyday life better, …
Regulate & Renovate
— By David Bolaños — How regulations are reshaping restaurant refrigeration. In some respects, not much has changed. As always, restaurant owners want the optimal refrigeration system for their situations. Nothing new there. But planning a restaurant’s cooling/freezing strategy is more important than ever these days because of proposed Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations regarding refrigerants. The details of the tighter regulations and the exact timing of their implementation are still to be determined, but they are coming. The new regulations might be in effect as soon as January 2025. …
Richmond, Va. — CarMax, Inc., the nation’s largest retailer of used cars, has introduced the pilot of its first all-electric semi-truck that is being used as a vehicle hauler in California’s San Joaquin Valley. The truck can transport up to seven vehicles at one time and can travel an estimated 230 miles on a single charge. CarMax is testing the all-electric semi-truck in real-world conditions and its Stockton, Calif., store will serve as the region’s hub for fast-charging the vehicle with a Level 3 charging station. CarMax’s test to replace …