PORTSMOUTH, Va. — Food Lion today unveiled here what it described as the nation’s first grocery store to incorporate two ozone-friendly product refrigeration systems. Both systems, based on secondary-coolant technology, reduce by more then 60% the amount of refrigerants needed to keep products cool or frozen. One of the systems uses water and glycol in a medium-temperature unit, while the other employs carbon dioxide for low-temperature cooling. The chain has tested the systems in two other stores, but this month-old store is the first to feature both of the systems, which are supplied by Hill Phoenix, Conyers, Ga. The store also unveiled a new biodiesel generator designed to run off cooking oils, such as those used by the store’s deli. “This is a significant step forward in our decade-old journey of environmentally friendly operations,” said Kyle Mitchell, vice president of store development for Salisbury, N.C.-based Food Lion, in a statement. “We’re proud to be a leader in testing and incorporating advanced refrigeration technologies the same way we’ve lead the grocery industry in energy conservation strategies.”

Read More of Today's Headlines