HAPPY BIRTHDAY BLOOM! BLOOM, "A DIFFERENT KIND OF GROCERY STORE," TURNS FIVE TODAY
Salisbury, NC (5/26/2009)

Media Contact:
Christy Phillips-Brown
704-633-8250, ext. 2221
cphillips-brown@foodlion.com

May 26, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BLOOM!  BLOOM, "A DIFFERENT KIND OF GROCERY STORE," TURNS FIVE TODAY
Bloom Has Blossomed to More than 4,500 Associates and 64 Stores in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast

SALISBURY, N.C. -- Born in Charlotte, N.C., on May 26, 2004, Bloom launched its first concept store at 6331 West Sugar Creek Road in Charlotte, N.C.   At the time of the new concept launch in 2004, four Food Lion stores were also converted to Blooms in Charlotte and surrounding markets in Mooresville, Mint Hill and Harrisburg.
 
"Bloom has experienced significant success over the last five years," said Tammy DeBoer, vice president of Bloom.  "Bloom was born after two years of concept development.  At Bloom, we are focused on creating a fun and convenient shopping experience for our consumers.   We deliver a unique, novel and hassle-free shopping experience for our guests, with a strong focus on price, convenience, quality, variety and superior guest service.  Since 2004, we have taken a concept of five stores and have experienced significant growth in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast, to 64 stores across four states." 

When guests visit Bloom, they will notice a number of unique features, such us:
•    Signage throughout the store that engages customers and continues the happy and fun shopping trip, such as a “Hi There” sign at the entrance, to “hey there sweet cakes” in the cake section to “hot diggity dog” at the hot dog section.
•    Inviting store-front for guests, stressing convenience.  From 20-minute convenient parking for short trips to the absence of store-front distractions such as soda machines to eliminating numerous in-aisle store displays, Bloom keeps its shopping experience convenient and clutter-free, thus delivering a happier customer. 
During its five years of business, Bloom has leveraged innovation and technology to make its shopping fun and convenient.

"Bloom’s easy-to-use kiosk technology provides many benefits for customers – such as recipes, price checks, product searches and children’s games," said Robin Johnson, Bloom's Director of Marketing.  "Bloom guests can e-mail their shopping list to their Bloom store, allowing for any family member to retrieve the list and complete the shopping trip.  Also, Bloom has self-scan technology, enabling guests to scan items as they shop, thus making check out a “breeze.”  Check-out for guests who use the self-scan technology is faster than a guest would experience at a fast food restaurant."

As a result of Bloom’s continued strong performance and consumers' desire for new stores, Bloom is uniquely positioned to continue its targeted growth initiatives.  Bloom has further expansion plans throughout the year, with two new store openings in the Charlotte market and new stores in Raleigh in 2010.  The new stores in Charlotte will add 180 jobs to the region.
 
"In addition to the Bloom buzz about its innovation and technology, we often receive questions from interested consumers about when a Bloom store will open near them.  With requests coming from as far as Alaska, we know that we are treating our customers with care and delivering a happy grocery shopping experience," added DeBoer.  "We believe this is a result of our strong focus on guests.  We want our guests to enjoy their shopping experience – eliminating the view that shopping is a chore or hassle.  Bloom associates strive to make guests laugh or help them enjoy their experience during their weekly visit."

Today, Bloom has 64 stores in the following markets:
•    7 stores in Charlotte and surrounding areas
•    41 stores in Washington, D.C., and Maryland
•    8 stores in Hampton Roads, Va., and Virginia Beach, Va.
•    7 stores in Greenville, S.C., and Spartanburg, S.C.
•    1 store in Quinton, Va. (Richmond area)

During the week-long celebration at its stores, Bloom will run a number of “5 for 5” specials in its stores. Items on special can be viewed on www.shopbloom.com.  Also, guests at the original store are invited to participate in the birthday celebration at 2 p.m. today with birthday cake and a rose petal ceremony at 6331 West Sugar Creek Road in Charlotte, N.C.

About Bloom
Bloom (www.shopbloom.com) is a banner of Food Lion LLC, a subsidiary of Brussels-based Delhaize Group (NYSE: DEG). Bloom operates stores in North Carolina and South Ca