Rays Super Markets

Event: Cooking With Rays

Sat, 25 Feb 2012 05:54:55 -18000

Join Chef Brian Keegan on Saturday from Noon to 2pm. He'll be preparing tasty food and we'll have wines you can sample that pair perfectly with his recipes.

Event: Taste the Samples

Sat, 25 Feb 2012 05:54:55 -18000

Enjoy samples of our Chief Kitchen bakery items from 11am to 3pm

Event: Wine Tasting

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 05:54:55 -18000

Please join us from 5pm to 7pm for a wine tasting. Discover a new favorite!

Event: Cooking With Rays

Sat, 18 Feb 2012 05:54:55 -18000

Join Chef Brian Keegan on Saturday from Noon to 2pm. He'll be preparing tasty food and we'll have wines you can sample that pair perfectly with his recipes.

Event: Taste the Samples

Sat, 18 Feb 2012 05:54:55 -18000

Enjoy samples of our Chief Kitchen bakery items from 11am to 3pm

Event: Wine Tasting

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 05:54:55 -18000

Please join us from 5pm to 7pm for a wine tasting. Discover a new favorite!

Event: Cooking With Rays

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 05:54:55 -18000

Join Chef Brian Keegan on Saturday from Noon to 2pm. He'll be preparing tasty food and we'll have wines you can sample that pair perfectly with his recipes.

Event: Taste the Samples

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 05:54:55 -18000

Enjoy samples of our Chief Kitchen bakery items from 11am to 3pm

Event: Wine Tasting

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:54:55 -18000

Please join us from 5pm to 7pm for a wine tasting. Discover a new favorite!

Event: Taste the Samples

Sun, 5 Feb 2012 05:54:55 -18000

Enjoy a sample of our Deli Super Subs from 10am to 4pm. Perfect for feeding the gang!

Event: Taste the Samples

Sun, 5 Feb 2012 05:54:55 -18000

Enjoy a sample of our new Chief Deli Pizza from 11am to 3pm.

Ad: Feb 2nd - Feb 8th Weekly Specials

Thu, 2 Feb 2012 05:54:55 -18000

Mary's Memo: #2251 - Jan 30th, 2012

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 05:54:55 -18000

GARDENING WITHOUT SOIL
     Though the method has been used for centuries, the
term hydroponics (hydro, meaning water, and ponics, meaning labor) was coined about 89 years ago by a University of California at Berkeley scientist, who grew tomatoes, potatoes, corn and beans without soil. Today, you can also find hydroponic herbs, leafy greens, squash, eggplant, peppers and other vegetables, as well as watermelon, strawberries and other fruits.
     Growing plants hydroponically has advantages over traditional methods. Since no soil is involved, you don’t need large tracts of land, nor do you get potential problems from insects, fungi and bacteria in soil. Hydroponics also use less water than conventional methods and doesn’t pollute natural
waterways. What’s more, you can produce food anywhere, anytime. There are disadvantages controlling the indoor environment of a greenhouse including the lighting that requires a lot of energy, monitoring everything from temperature and humidity to pH (acidity or alkalinity of a solution) is also time and labor intensive. Hydroponic produce can cost twice as much as field-grown vegetables.
     Most studies find that hydroponic produce has pretty much the same nutritional profile as conventionally grown produce.
Source: University of California at Berkeley Wellness

FOOD IS ALWAYS THE WINNER ON SUPER BOWL SUNDAY
     I really don’t care who wins the game in Indianapolis on February 5, but whoever is in charge of food is a definite winner with everyone!
     During the Christmas season at Mary Ann’s, we attended a 2-1/2 hour tapas class at Sur La Table in downtown Naperville, IL. For those unfamiliar with tapas, they’re Spanish appetizers. They can be served individually or several can be part of a meal. (More on the tapas class in a future memo.)
     What I am sharing is an appetizer the chef and her assistants had made for us before we arrived for the class. It only takes 3 ingredients: A roll of goat cheese (available at Chief and Rays), enough minced fresh mint to cover it and some kind of seedless red jam drizzled on a serving plate before the cheese is placed on it. Serve with assorted crackers. Our class of 16 polished it off before tapas samples were available!

BEST RECIPE OF 2012?
     I served Sourdough Bread Stuffing with Leeks, Sliced Mushrooms & Chicken at the Bryan Chief the weekend before Christmas. I made enough changes in the recipe to call it my own and although it would be perfect for the holiday sheet, I’ve decided to share it now because it’s going to be my “go to” luncheon dish this year. Besides, a lot of Bryan Chief shoppers already have the recipe so why should you wait 11 months to try it!`SOURDOUGH BREAD STUFFING WITH LEEKS, SLICED MUSHROOMS AND CHICKEN

12 cups sourdough bread cubes, crusts removed (I used Pepperidge Farm® brand)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
3 cups chopped leeks, white and pale green parts only (2 medium)
3 cups chopped celery
1 pound cleaned and dried sliced mushrooms
1-1/2 tablespoons dried sage
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups cut-up rotisserie chicken
1 quart low-sodium chicken broth plus an additional 1/2 cup
2 large eggs
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Preheat oven to 325 degree F. Spread bread cubes on two baking sheets. Bake until dry and crisp, stirring occasionally, about 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer bread to a large bowl. Melt butter; sauté leeks and celery until tender, about 10 minutes. Add mushrooms, sage, thyme, salt and pepper and sauté until tender, about another 10 minutes. Pour mushroom mixture over bread cubes. Add chicken and chicken broth and toss to blend. Stuffing can be prepared to this point, 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Butter a 9x13- inch glass baking dish. Whisk eggs and baking powder together and add to stuffing mixture. Transfer to baking dish. Bake until stuffing is cooked through and golden brown on top, about 1 hour. Recipe makes 12 servings.

OUT OF DATE
If you consume vitamin-D-fortified foods, be aware that the Daily Value listed on nutrition labels is out-of-date and too low. The Daily Value is still 400 IU, but the Institute of Medicine (IOM) now recommends 500 IU for adults through age 70 and 800 IU for those over 70. Many experts believe the new IOM recommendations are still too low. The good
news is that an increasing number of food companies are fortifying their products with the vitamin, which is found naturally in few foods.
Source: University of California at Berkeley Wellness Letter, February 2012.

Mary's Memo: #2250 - Jan 23rd, 2012

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 05:54:55 -18000

IT’S NATIONAL SOUP MONTH
No one seems to know who started National Soup
Month but we do know that soup has been around since
about 6000 BC and was first made of hippopotamus. Soup gets year-round attention from me but I’ll admit there’s something especially comforting about a bowl of hot soup on a cold winter day.
The Sunday before Christmas I finished my holiday baking, a project I told a Bryan friend, Lynette Diaz, about when she was shopping at Chief the day before. She called on Sunday to say she was bringing me her Tomato Basil Soup so that I didn’t have to prepare dinner. That was music to my ears because when I’m working on a kitchen project I end up too tired to fix a meal afterwards so her thoughtfulness, delicious soup and recipe were really appreciated!

TOMATO BASIL SOUP

1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced celery
4 tablespoons butter
4 cans condensed tomato soup
1 soup can water
2 soup cans tomato juice
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
1 pound cooked, crumbled bacon

In a Dutch oven sauté onion and celery in melted butter until softened. Add tomato soup, water and tomato juice. Season with garlic powder, oregano and basil. Stir in cooked bacon. Note: Lynette adds a little more celery than called for in the recipe and if the soup is too thick she suggests thinning with additional tomato juice or water.
Source: Lynette Diaz, Bryan OH.

LET’S HEAR IT FOR PRODUCE!
A diet rich in produce might change the effect of your genes on heart disease, according to a study of 27,243 people published in the journal Public Library of Science Medicine. Those with a gene predisposed to heart disease but who ate a diet high in fruit and raw and leafy vegetables were less likely to have a heart attack over time than people who had the gene but ate little produce.
Source: Consumer Reports on Health, January 2012.

GARLIC SUPPLEMENTS
Garlic supplements vary widely, depending on the age of the garlic and how it was produced. There’s debate about

`which form, powder, oil or aged “deodorized” garlic extract, for example, may be best. There is no accepted standard dose. Claims such as “high potency” don’t mean much.
Testing of garlic supplements by ConsumerLab.com found that nearly half had problems such as not meeting label claims or even worse, were contaminated with lead.
Bottom Line: Don’t take garlic supplements. Even if they do lower blood cholesterol or blood pressure or thin the blood, which is uncertain, the effect is small, so the supplements can’t replace medication. In any case, no one knows what form or dose is best.
Source: University of California, Berkeley Wellness Letter, January 2012.

CROCK-POT CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS
Grandson Gabe Thaman shared this recipe with me
during the holidays, hoping I’d use it on Mary’s Memo. It doesn’t surprise me that he’s an excellent cook because when he was under 10 he could make banana bread with a little supervision from his mother. As an adult he still has a major interest in cooking and is the most help in the kitchen when he visits his aunts or me.

GABE’S CROCK-POT CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS

1 quart box of Swanson® low sodium chicken broth
1 can Campbell's® Healthy Request® Cream of Chicken soup
Half of a white onion, minced (roughly 1/4 to 1/3 cup)
1 cup sliced button mushrooms
2 tablespoons butter
Italian seasoning to taste
Pepper to taste
Savory seasoning to taste
Dash of garlic powder
3 to 4 frozen boneless chicken breasts
1 large tube Pillsbury® Southern Style biscuits

Combine chicken stock, soup, onion, mushrooms, butter and seasonings in your crock-pot. Stir mixture until everything is generally combined. Add frozen chicken breasts to the pot, cover, and set on low. Cook for 8 hours. A half hour before you’re ready to serve, remove chicken from pot and chop (it will fall apart at this point), then return to the crock-pot. Turn temperature to high. Open biscuits and cut each one
into quarters. Add to crock-pot and stir to make sure everything is coated. Cover and cook for 15 minutes. Stir again, cover and cook an additional 15 minutes or until dumplings are done. Serve with homemade mashed potatoes and a veggie of your choice
Source: Gabe Thaman, Champaign IL.

Mary's Memo: #2249 - Jan 16th, 2012

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 05:54:55 -18000

COFFEE OR TEA: WHICH FOR THEE?
     A recent analysis of the Nurses’ Health Study, a large,
long-term investigation of factors that affect women’s
health, has found a reduced risk of depression among coffee drinkers. Decaf appeared to have no significant effect on depression, nor did tea, perhaps because they were a minor source of caffeine in their diet.
     Coffee contains antioxidant compounds called polyphenols that might help regulate blood sugar and prevent deadly blood clots. In fact, regular coffee consumption was associated with a longer life, mostly due to a reduced risk of heart attacks and strokes in a 2008 study of nearly 130,000 people who were followed for two decades.
     Most healthy adults can consume up to 300 milligrams of caffeine daily (roughly three 8-ounce cups of coffee per day); pregnant women, less than 200 milligrams.
Tea is also rich in polyphenols, at least in laboratory studies using cell cultures and animals, have been found to prevent the buildup of artery-clogging plaque and inhibit the growth of cancer cells. Fluoride and estrogen-like substances in tea might also bolster bone density, but further research is needed to confirm that benefit.
     Bottom line is that coffee and tea can be a healthful part of your diet, which is easier advice for tea drinkers to follow, since coffee typically contains twice as much of the stimulant as black tea and about four times more than green.

TRANS FAT: ALWAYS BAD!
     When it comes to trans fat, found in partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, it both increases LDL (bad) and decreases HDL (good) cholesterol. High intake has been consistently linked to an increased risk of heart disease. It also might raise the risk of depression, according to a 2011 study of 12,059 adults.
Source for above articles: Consumer Reports on Health, January 2012.

MEA CULPA!
     No one has inquired yet but I did make a mistake in the Candy Cane Shortbread cookie recipe on my annual holiday recipe sheet. Instead of 1/2-ounce canes, the right size is sold in a box of 40 Mini Canes. I bought mine at Spangler’s® Museum Store in Bryan but you can buy them online via the Spangler® Candy website: www.SpanglerCandy.com.

RECIPES
     Baked Turkey Salad was a big hit at the Bryan Chief when I served it the weekend before Thanksgiving. I made mine with a turkey thigh, mainly because I prefer dark meat. In an earlier memo I told you that I stock up on fresh thighs`for the freezer when Chief has them at Thanksgiving time. To reduce calories in the salad, I used Lays® Baked Chips instead of regular chips.

BAKED TURKEY SALAD

2 cups cubed turkey thigh meat
1 cup sliced celery
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon grated onion
1 cup Hellmann’s® Light Mayonnaise
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup chicken broth
2-ounce jar chopped pimiento, drained
1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 cup crushed Lays® Baked Chips

Combine all ingredients except cheese and potato chips. Spoon the salad mixture into 8x8x2-inch baking dish. Refrigerate overnight. Before baking, sprinkle with cheese and potato chips. Bake in preheated 350ºF oven for about 30 minutes or until bubbly. Recipe makes 4 servings.

We had Chicken Divan at my literary club’s Christmas luncheon and it reminded me that it was a favorite “go-to” recipe when I entertained years ago. In fact, I served it at our son’s rehearsal dinner before he was married along with Shrimp Casserole that’s in my cookbook. I’ve since revised the recipe to use rotisserie chicken instead of cooking a large one. From personal experience, you’ll get more mileage from a rotisserie chicken that’s stripped when it’s still hot.

CHICKEN DIVAN

(3) 10-ounce packages frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and well drained
Meat from one of Chief/Rays Rotisserie BIG Chicken (it should yield a tad over 4 cups cubed meat)
3 cans Campbell’s® Healthy Request® Cream of Chicken soup, undiluted (no MSG in this kind)
1-1/2 cups Hellmann’s® Light Mayonnaise
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons dry sherry
3/4 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons melted butter

Arrange broccoli in the bottom of a buttered 9x13-inch glass baking dish. Distribute cubed chicken over broccoli. Mix together soup, mayonnaise, lemon juice and sherry and pour over broccoli-chicken mixture. Mix dry bread crumbs and butter together. Scatter over top. Bake, covered, in a preheated 350ºF oven for about 1 hour or until bubbly and very hot. Recipe makes 8 to 10 servings.

Mary's Memo: #2248 - Jan 9th, 2012

Mon, 9 Jan 2012 05:54:55 -18000

BEST RECIPES OF 2011 CONTINUED
To celebrate Cinco de Mayo on May 5, Fresh Fruit Salsa from the Fresh Market 25th Anniversary Cookbook, was featured in the 5/2 memo. Bryan Chief tasters gave it rave reviews. You will, too, if you haven’t made it yet.

FRESH FRUIT SALSA

3 kiwis, peeled
1/4 cup hot pepper jelly
1 mango, coarsely chopped
4 cups fresh strawberries, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons honey
1 yellow bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons turbinado (raw) sugar

Slice peeled kiwis in half, then in half again to make 4 wedges each. Thinly slice each wedge into a mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients and toss carefully to combine. Refrigerate 1 hour or until ready to serve. Recipe makes 10 servings. Source: Adapted from Fresh Market 25th Anniversary Cookbook recipe.

Another popular recipe with Bryan Chief tasters was Vegetable Tea Sandwiches in the 6/27 memo. This one was adapted from a Southern Living magazine recipe. I cut calories by using reduced-fat cream cheese. I also used thin Pepperidge Farm® white and whole wheat bread to increase the food value.

VEGETABLE TEA SANDWICHES

(2) 8-ounce packages reduced-fat Flavorite® cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 cup peeled, seeded and finely chopped English cucumber (the kind sealed in plastic)
1/2 cup minced green onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill (available year-round in produce department)
2 tablespoons mayonnaise (I use Hellmann’s® Light)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
48 slices bread (24 white and 24 whole wheat)

Stir together all ingredients besides bread. Spread mixture on 1side of 24 bread white slices. Top with remaining whole wheat bread slices. It is helpful to store the sandwiches untrimmed or cut. When ready to serve trim crusts from sandwiches; cut each into triangles with a serrated knife and serve or return to refrigerator until needed. Recipe makes 8 dozen triangles.
Source: Adapted from Southern Living magazine recipe.

Two Potato Salad with Toasted Pecans from the 7/11 memo was not only popular with Bryan Chief tasters but a big hit at the Thaman reunion in Kettering Labor Day weekend.

`TWO POTATO SALAD WITH TOASTED PECANS

1 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed (2 medium-large sweet potatoes should do it – weigh on scale in produce dept.)
1 lb. russet potatoes, peeled and cubed (I used 3 medium ones)
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 teaspoon zest of lime
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup toasted pecans

Bring sweet potatoes to a boil in lightly salted water in large saucepan or Dutch oven until just tender but not overcooked. Remove from water with a slotted spoon and drain in colander. Add russet potato cubes to water on stove and cook until tender (it’s not going to take as much time because water is already heated. Remove with a slotted spoon and cool slightly in colander. Meanwhile in large bowl whisk together oil, zest, juice, vinegar, brown sugar, ground ginger, salt and nutmeg. Add potatoes; toss to coat well. Gently stir in celery and onion. Add toasted pecans just before serving. Salad can be served immediately or
refrigerated until ready to serve. Recipe makes 8 servings.
Source: Adapted from www.McCormick.com recipe.

Zesty Beef and Cole Slaw Soup from the 11/14 memo was popular with Bryan Chief tasters. I have since made it with ground turkey. It’s good but I prefer it made with beef. I also made enough changes in the recipe to call it my own. Under no circumstance substitute canned green beans or corn because they’ll be way overcooked! Although I used V-8® Spicy Hot juice, Flavorite® also makes a spicy juice that is cheaper.

ZESTY BEEF AND COLE SLAW SOUP

1 lb. ground chuck
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups cole slaw mix
1-1/2 cups frozen corn
2 cups frozen cut green beans
46-ounce bottle V-8® Spicy Hot juice
14.5-ounce can Flavorite® Italian-style diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
Salt to taste (I used ½ teaspoon kosher salt)

Cook meat, onion and garlic until meat is no longer pink. Drain fat thoroughly. Add all ingredients to a 5 or 6-quart slow cooker. Cook on low for 10 hours. Recipe makes 10 servings. Soup freezes well.

Mary's Memo: #2247 - Jan 2nd, 2012

Mon, 2 Jan 2012 05:54:55 -18000

BEST RECIPES OF 2011
This is the easiest memo that I do because we’re featuring the best new recipes of the previous year.
     From the 1/24/11, Yolanda Juarez’s Holiday Salad deserves an encore. Use any leftover dressing on other leafy greens.

HOLIDAY SALAD

       Dressing:

2/3 cup canola oil
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon poppy seeds (optional for me)

Salad:

(2) 10-ounce bags romaine lettuce
1 cup shredded Parmesan or Swiss cheese
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1 cup cashews
1 apple, cubed
1 pear, cubed

To make dressing combine in a blender or food processor sugar, lemon juice, onion, mustard and salt. Add oil slowly until thick and smooth. If using poppy seeds, blend or process a few seconds. Pour dressing into a container and add apple and pear cubes (lemon juice will keep fruit from darkening). In large salad bowl combine salad ingredients with desired amount of dressing. Toss to coat. Recipe makes 8 to 10 servings.
Source: Yolanda (Jesse) Juarez, Bryan OH.

The next recipe from the 4/11/11 memo comes from my “food friend” in Hilton Head SC, Sally Kerr-Dineen.

CHICKEN MARSALA WITH MUSHROOMS

4 Miller boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, pounded to about 1/4-inch thick
Salt and pepper to taste
All-purpose flour
5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
6 tablespoons butter, divided
4 tablespoons finely chopped shallots (in produce dept.)
3 cups thinly sliced mushrooms (be sure they are dry so they brown)
3/4 cup Marsala wine
1 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons Italian parsley

Season chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour. In a large 12-inch skillet over medium heat, add half the olive oil and butter. When butter begins to foam brown chicken until golden, about 3 minutes on one side, turn over and brown about 2 minutes more. Lift from pan and set aside. Melt remaining fat and add shallots. Cook until softened,

`then add mushrooms and season again with salt and pepper to taste. Cook until browned. Pour wine over mushroom mixture. Continue cooking until wine turns slightly syrupy. Add chicken broth. Boil until sauce is reduced about half, keeping in mind that you want enough sauce to spoon over chicken. Return chicken to skillet and cook until heated through, turning occasionally to coat in sauce. Add parsley and serve.
Source: Used with permission of Sally Kerr-Dineen

Because I’m partial to any recipe with mushrooms I’ve picked Fresh Mushrooms and Parsley Salad to share again from the 4/18/11 memo. It wasn’t lemony enough to suit Mary Ann and me so we doubled the fresh lemon juice. Please note that this may serve 8 people at your house but not mine because I can eat this in 4 sittings!

FRESH MUSHROOM AND PARSLEY SALAD

(2) 8-oz. packages of button mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/3 cup chopped Italian (flat leaf) parsley
1/4 cup olive oil (I prefer light type)
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Shaved Parmesan cheese for garnish

In a medium salad bowl mix together the mushrooms and parsley. In a small bowl whisk olive oil and lemon juice until well blended. Add to mushroom parsley mixture and toss until well coated. Using a vegetable peeler shave Parmesan cheese on top and serve. Recipe makes 8 servings.
Source: Adapted from Giada De Lautentis recipe.

I’d love to be Ina Garten’s (my favorite Food Network star) next door neighbor so I could be one of her frequent dinner guests. Her Chunky Guacamole from the 6/6/11 memo is the best! Lemon juice keeps mixture from darkening.

INA’S CHUNKY GUACAMOLE

4 ripe Hass avocados
Juice of 1 fresh lemon
8 dashes of Tabasco® sauce (or to taste)
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 medium tomato, seeded and finely chopped

Halve and pit the avocados; scoop the flesh into a bowl. Add lemon juice, Tabasco®, onion, garlic, salt and pepper; toss with a wooden spoon. Using a sharp knife, slice through the avocado mixture until chunky. Add tomatoes and toss lightly. Serve with tortilla chips.
Source: Ina Garten recipe.

Space doesn’t permit including additional best recipes but look for other favorites next week.

News: Ground Turkey Recall Notice

Thu, 4 Aug 2011 05:54:55 -14400

News: Rays Supermarkets Introduces Good Neighbor Rewards

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 05:54:55 -14400

Today Chief Super Market, Inc. launched Good Neighbor Rewards - an exclusive program for their Rays Supermarkets in Lima, Ohio. Customers who are members of the rewards program receive credit on their rewards card for buying certain items throughout the store. Reward items are indicated throughout the store with special shelf tags or signs. When a customer purchases a reward item, the reward amount goes into their digital wallet to use on a future visit. Additional offers will also be sent via email or text for customers to redeem with a scan of their card. Customers can enroll at any Rays Supermarket. Annette Hoeffel, Director of Marketing of Chief and Rays Supermarkets, stated, "We are thrilled to bring this program to our Rays customers. It's a very simple rewards program - just shop as normal and earn free money. Every customer pays the same low prices." In addition to earning rewards on a digital wallet, Good Neighbor Rewards members can manage their account online, access purchase history and receive digital coupons. According to a recent study of U.S. consumers by ACI Worldwide, three out of four Americans are members of at least one retail loyalty card program. The survey also shows that the majority of American consumers (62 percent) join retail loyalty programs so they can get discounts on the things they buy most.

News: Rays Supermarkets donate $27,417 to local food pantries!

Wed, 11 May 2011 05:54:55 -14400

Lima, OH - May 11, 2011. $27,417 was raised with the help of loyal customers, valued associates, and support from vendor partners during the Rays Good Neighbor Day held on Tuesday, April 5th. A percentage of sales from that day was donated to support local food pantries affiliated with West Ohio Food Bank and selected local pantries. Customers were encouraged to donate food items when they shopped at any Rays location on April 5th. Rays also donated $1.00 for every new Rays Facebook fan through April 30th. Annette Hoeffel, Director of Marketing, said, "Good Neighbor Day was a total success. We had excellent participation from all of our communities and the proceeds from this day will make a difference for many families that are facing difficult situations in this economy." According to the West Ohio Food Bank:

45% of clients served by the West Ohio Food Bank report having to choose between paying for food and paying for gas for a car.
44% had to choose between paying for food and paying for utilities or heating fuel.
36% had to choose between paying for food and paying their rent or mortgage.
35% had to choose between paying for food and paying for medicine or medical care.

Funds donated will allow local food pantries to purchase staple food items, including produce, meat and frozen foods, at greatly reduced prices from the West Ohio Food Bank, which serves more than 170 pantries in 11 counties throughout West Central Ohio. Each dollar donation to West Ohio Food Bank will provide 25 pounds of food that will make 19 meals to feed 2 people for 3 days. Selected local food pantries that are not part of the West Ohio Food Bank group will also benefit directly from the donated funds.