NEWS RELEASE
Defense Commissary Agency
Public Affairs
1300 E Avenue, Fort Lee, VA 23801-1800
Tel: (804) 734-8000, Ext. 8-6105 DSN: 687-8000, Ext. 8-6105
FAX: (804) 734-8248 DSN: 687-8248
www.commissaries.com
Release Number: 13-14
Date: March 21, 2014
Contact: Rick Brink, Europe Area public affairs officer
Tel.: (804) 734-8000, Ext. 4-8409
E-mail: richard.brink@deca.mil
25 stores in Europe ready move to local bagged salads
By Rick Brink,
Europe Area public affairs officer
FORT LEE, Va. – Commissary shoppers in 25 stores located in Germany, England, Belgium and the Netherlands will find expanded offerings of Europe-grown Florette bagged salads beginning in April, as the Defense Commissary Agency discontinues offering the Fresh Express line at the end of March.
“It’s based on an overall market analysis evaluation,” said Norman Brown, DeCA Europe Area director. “Product freshness and product availability are key considerations for bagged salads, and the switchover to local suppliers will give our customers the freshness and availability they expect.”
The Florette bagged salad line has been sold in DeCA commissaries for many years. Europe Area contracting personnel took steps earlier this year alerting suppliers of Florette products about the need to increase production to meet customer demand.
This increase in production will ensure product availability in DeCA commissaries in Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and England. Commissaries south of the Alps are not affected by this change because they do not carry then Fresh Express line, and they will continue to receive bagged salads from their local suppliers.
“Our commissaries pride themselves on bringing a taste of home to authorized patrons stationed overseas, and bagged salads are no exception,” Brown said. “With this initiative, we are going to be able to expand the number of line items available while maintaining our commitment to freshness.”
-DeCA-
About DeCA: The Defense Commissary Agency operates a worldwide chain of commissaries providing groceries to military personnel, retirees and their families in a safe and secure shopping environment. Authorized patrons purchase items at cost plus a 5-percent surcharge, which covers the costs of building new commissaries and modernizing existing ones. By shopping regularly in the commissary, patrons save an average of 30 percent or more on their purchases compared to commercial prices – savings amounting to thousands of dollars annually. A core military family support element, and a valued part of military pay and benefits, commissaries contribute to family readiness, enhance the quality of life for America’s military and their families, and help recruit and retain the best and brightest men and women to serve their country.
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