Customers Direct Ukrop's Donations to Help Nearly 1,400 Nonprofit Organizations in Virginia

Annual Golden Gift program to distribute $200,000 to community organizations

RICHMOND, Va.- Aug. 19, 2009 - Ukrop's Super Markets, Inc. today announced that 1,384 nonprofit organizations throughout Richmond, Williamsburg, Fredericksburg and Roanoke, where the family-owned business operates, will share $200,000 as part of the 2009 Golden Gift program.

By the end of August, Ukrop's will mail checks to this year's participating nonprofit organizations that provide a wide variety of important services ranging from animal care and positive youth development to elder care and hunger relief.

Top Ukrop's Golden Gift Recipients for 2009

The top organizations for 2009 include:

Richmond SPCA - Richmond - $5,466.80

Central Virginia Food Bank - Richmond - $5,209.40

Richmond Animal League - Richmond - $2,429.60

Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, Richmond Affiliate - Richmond - $1,458.60

Friends of the Chesterfield County Public Library - Richmond - $1,276.00

"The Richmond SPCA is deeply grateful to Ukrop's and its Golden Gift program for providing such generous support for our programs and services that save the lives of homeless animals," said Robin Robertson Starr, chief executive officer of the Richmond SPCA. "This wonderful contribution will allow us to provide the free and low-cost spay/neuter services and innovative programs of pet-retention, adoption, and humane education that have made our community one of the safest in the country for homeless animals. Ukrop's has set a high standard for corporate philanthropy throughout Greater Richmond, and we so appreciate their selfless generosity and that of their customers. In addition to the annual Golden Gift donation that we receive, Ukrop's also provides our orphaned animals with an ongoing, consistent diet of its Paws Premium pet food through its pet food drives and direct in-kind corporate contributions."

Program Background

Since the Golden Gift program started in 1987, Ukrop's has distributed more than $12.4 million to local nonprofit organizations. The program is one of the ways Ukrop's honors its pledge to give back at least 10 percent of its pre-tax profits to the communities it serves.

"We appreciate the enthusiastic way our Golden Gift program has been embraced by the communities we serve," said Ukrop's President and CEO Bobby Ukrop. "Inviting our customers' participation by asking them to designate which organization receives a portion of each year's payout is a rewarding experience for our shoppers, the recipients, and for Ukrop's."

Ukrop's 2009 Golden Gift totals by geographic area included:

AREA: TOTAL GOLDEN GIFT AMOUNT:
Richmond - $172,813.60
Tri-Cities - $14,898.80
Williamsburg - $6,998.80
Fredericksburg - $3,662.20
Roanoke - $1,442.80
Other - $183.80

How The Program Works

Between March 2 and March 28, customers with a Ukrop's Valued Customer Card earned one Golden Gift Point for every dollar spent. Ukrop's automatically calculated and tracked customers' accumulated points on receipts.
In May, customers received a Golden Gift Certificate via mail that detailed the number of points they accumulated during the earning period.
Customers then submitted their Golden Gift Certificate to the nonprofit organization of their choice.
The more points a charity collected, the greater its share of the $200,000 payout.
Representatives from the registered nonprofit organizations had until June 13 to submit their certificates.

About Ukrop's

Ukrop's Super Markets, Inc., founded and headquartered in Richmond, Va., with more than 5,500 associates, operates 27 retail food stores, Joe's Market (a regional specialty market), a central bakery and kitchen, and a distribution center. Since 1937, the privately held business remains dedicated to its version of the Golden Rule: "treating customers, associates, and suppliers as they personally want to be treated.” Each year, Ukrop's gives a minimum of 10 percent of its pre-tax profits back to the community. Ukrop's was a pioneer in both loyalty marketing and meal solutions when it launched its Valued Customer® program in 1987 and its chilled prepared foods in 1989. In 1997, Ukrop's established a unique partnership to place banks in its retail locations. Today, it co-owns, with Markel Corporation, 25 First Market Bank branches in Ukrop's locations and 14 free-standing branches. In June 2008, Ukrop's launched another innovative loyalty program called fuelperks! that rewards Fredericksburg and Richmond-area customers by providing significant discounts on fuel based on Ukrop's grocery purchases. To date, Ukrop's fuelperks! rewards exceed $9.08 million dollars. www.ukrops.com

Contacts:

Susan Rowe
Ukrop's Super Markets, Inc.
804-340-3104 • Susan.Rowe@ukrops.com

Jonathan Rhudy
For Ukrop's Super Markets, Inc.
804-897-0763 • jonathan@rhudy.biz