CONTACT: MEDIA: MEGHAN GLYNN (513) 762-1304 INVESTORS: CARIN FIKE (513) 762-4969
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — CINCINNATI, OHIO, JAN. 31, 2009 – THE KROGER CO. SAID TODAY IT IS RECALLING PEANUT BUTTER STORE-BAKED AND STORE-PACKAGED COOKIES AND SELECT CAKES SOLD IN ITS FAMILY OF STORES BECAUSE THE PRODUCTS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BE CONTAMINATED WITH SALMONELLA.
STORES UNDER THE FOLLOWING NAMES IN THE 31 STATES WHERE KROGER OPERATES ARE INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL: KROGER, RALPHS, FRED MEYER, FOOD 4 LESS, FRY’S, KING SOOPERS, SMITH’S, DILLONS, QFC, CITY MARKET, FOODS CO., JAY C, SCOTT’S, OWEN’S, BAKER’S, GERBES, HILANDER AND PAY LESS.
NO ILLNESSES HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN CONNECTION WITH THE COOKIES AND CAKES.
ITEM DESCRIPTIONS:
KROGER IS RECALLING ALL PACKAGES OF THE FOLLOWING KROGER, STORE-BRAND AND PRIVATE SELECTION STORE-BAKED AND STORE-PACKAGED COOKIES:
PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES – REGULAR, JUMBO, DECORATED, ICED, GOURMET, MINI AND SANDWICH COOKIES ASSORTED AND VARIETY BAKERY COOKIES – REGULAR AND JUMBO PRIVATE SELECTION PEANUT CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIES PRIVATE SELECTION GOURMET VARIETY COOKIE TRAYS
KROGER IS RECALLING ALL SIZES OF THE FOLLOWING PRIVATE SELECTION CAKES, INCLUDING WHOLE, HALF AND PACKAGED SLICES:
PRIVATE SELECTION CHOCOLATE TRIO SINGLE-LAYER AND DOUBLE-LAYER ICED CAKES
CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE PURCHASED ANY OF THE COOKIES OR CAKES LISTED ABOVE SHOULD NOT CONSUME THESE PRODUCTS AND SHOULD RETURN THEM TO A STORE FOR A FULL REFUND OR REPLACEMENT.
THE PRODUCTS KROGER IS RECALLING MAY BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE PEANUT PRODUCT RECALL BY PEANUT CORPORATION OF AMERICA (PCA). THE FDA HAS INDICATED THAT PCA IS THE FOCUS OF ITS INVESTIGATION INTO SALMONELLA-RELATED ILLNESSES THAT MAY BE LINKED TO CONTAMINATED PEANUT PRODUCTS. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE VISIT THE FDA’S WEBSITE AT WWW.FDA.GOV.
KROGER CONTINUES TO FOLLOW FDA GUIDELINES AND, FOR THE SAFETY OF CUSTOMERS, HAS WITHDRAWN OTHER PRODUCTS FROM SALE THAT CONTAIN PEANUT INGREDIENTS IMPLICATED IN THIS OUTBREAK, AS DIRECTED BY THE FDA AND SUPPLIERS INVOLVED.
SALMONELLA IS AN ORGANISM THAT CAN CAUSE SERIOUS AND SOMETIMES FATAL INFECTIONS, PARTICULARLY IN YOUNG CHILDREN, FRAIL OR ELDERLY PEOPLE, AND OTHERS WITH WEAKENED IMMUNE SYSTEMS. HEALTHY PERSONS INFECTED WITH SALMONELLA OFTEN EXPERIENCE FEVER, DIARRHEA, NAUSEA, VOMITING AND ABDOMINAL PAIN. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON SALMONELLA, PLEASE VISIT THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION’S WEBSITE AT WWW.CDC.GOV.
ACCORDING TO THE FDA, PEANUT BUTTER SOLD IN JARS, INCLUDING KROGER BRAND PEANUT BUTTER SOLD IN THE RETAILER’S FAMILY OF STORES, IS NOT INVOLVED IN THE ONGOING INVESTIGATION.
CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE COOKIE AND CAKE RECALL MAY CONTACT KROGER TOLL-FREE AT (800) 632-6900. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE VISIT KROGER’S WEBSITE AT WWW.KROGER.COM/RECALLS.
KROGER IS NOTIFYING CUSTOMERS ABOUT THIS RECALL BY PLACING SIGNS IN STORES IN BAKERY DEPARTMENTS. KROGER IS ALSO ACTIVATING ITS REGISTER RECEIPT AND PHONE CALL NOTIFICATION SYSTEMS TO ALERT CUSTOMERS ABOUT RECALLS OF PRODUCTS THEY MAY HAVE PURCHASED.
KROGER, ONE OF THE NATION’S LARGEST RETAIL GROCERY CHAINS, EMPLOYS MORE THAN 320,000 ASSOCIATES WHO SERVE CUSTOMERS IN 2,477 SUPERMARKETS AND MULTI-DEPARTMENT STORES IN 31 STATES. KROGER OPERATES STORES UNDER TWO DOZEN LOCAL BANNER NAMES INCLUDING KROGER, RALPHS, FRED MEYER, FOOD 4 LESS, FRY’S, KING SOOPERS, SMITH’S, DILLONS, QFC AND CITY MARKET. IN ADDITION, KROGER ASSOCIATES SERVE CUSTOMERS IN 778 CONVENIENCE STORES, 392 FINE JEWELRY STORES AND 750 SUPERMARKET FUEL CENTERS THE COMPANY OPERATES. KROGER ALSO OPERATES 41 FOOD PROCESSING PLANTS IN THE U.S. HEADQUARTERED IN CINCINNATI, OHIO, KROGER FOCUSES ITS CHARITABLE EFFORTS ON SUPPORTING HUNGER RELIEF, HEALTH AND WELLNESS INITIATIVES, AND LOCAL SCHOOLS AND GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS IN THE COMMUNITIES IT SERVES. FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMPANY, PLEASE VISIT WWW.KROGER.COM.
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