CINCINNATI — Kroger has announced a big donation to food banks in the United States.
The supermarket chain said it will work with its dairy cooperative suppliers and farmers across the Midwest and South to process and donate about 200,000 gallons of milk to Feeding America food banks and other community organizations. The donation is an expansion of the Dairy Rescue Program and will run through the end of August.
"At a time when dairy farmers have surplus raw milk, we're doubling down on our mission to reduce hunger and waste," said Erin Sharp, Kroger's group vice president of manufacturing.
The donated milk is normally sold to restaurants, hotels and schools. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced farmers to dump excess milk down the drain.
According to Kroger, partnerships through the company's Dairy Rescue Program already donate 129,000 gallons of milk annually.
The increased donations were announced last week.