Pitch competition winners awarded $74,000 in scholarships

CINCINNATI, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) Foundation ("Foundation") today announced the scholarship award recipients and entrepreneurial pitch competition results from its second annual Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Innovation Challenge in collaboration with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF). The Innovation Challenge is made possible by the Build it Together grant awarded to TMCF from the Foundation's Racial Equity Fund. The $1 million grant supports TMCF's effort to adapt its successful innovation and entrepreneurship model to focus on food insecurity and food waste.

The Innovation Challenge is a three-day in-person business pitch competition where students from Historically Black College and University (HBCUs) 1890 land-grant institutions combine the adapted Innovation and Entrepreneurship model with support for the winning team's ideas, leveraging expertise from Kroger and the Kroger Foundation. Teams work together to design solutions for three challenges aligning with Kroger's Zero Hunger | Zero Waste mission.

"The talent and innovation from students in this annual pitch competition continues to amaze us," said Keith Dailey, Kroger's group vice president of corporate affairs and president of The Kroger Co. Foundation. "These bright students are the future of the Zero Hunger | Zero Waste promise, and we are so proud to collaborate with them and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund to offer scholarships that drive our commitment to creating more equitable communities that are free of hunger and waste."

There were 36 students and seven teams participating. All teams received $15,000 in project development funds for their institution. Overall, a total of $74,000 in scholarships were awarded in addition to tech prizes.

The winners and grant recipients include:

First Place: University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Tuskegee University tied for first place, with each team member awarded $7,500.University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff Team Members: Perry Williams, Larry Culclager, L'KennaWhitehead, CharleseDe-Anna Colenand JvonAllen.Case Study: How can Krogerencourage, motivate, incentivize, or reward its customers to reduce household food waste?Tuskegee University Team Members: Olivia Bowles, CheraHoward, Maxwell Saine, Hali Braynonand Carmen McMeans.Case Study:Provide a sustainable solution that will help eliminate food or operational waste in Kroger'ssupply chain.

Second Place:Southern University with each team member awarded $5,000.Team Members: RashardGrace, Ahlayna Calhoun, Faith Woods, NaloneSumo, Frankie Dorseyand Robert Easly(faculty).Case Study: What can Kroger do to encourage healthier choices and be a leader in the Food as Medicine concept?

Third Place: MetaVerse Scholars with each team member awarded $2,500.Team Members: Anita Bozhko, Alabama A&MUniversity; Samuel Dixon, North Carolina A&TState University; Obieze Udemadu, North Carolina A&TState University; Adeleye Mesogboriwon, Edward Waters College; and Mitrick(TJ) Johnson, Alabama A&MUniversity.Alternates: Kashif Alston, BluefieldState College and DailynnThomas, Southern University A&MCollege.Case Study: What can Krogerdo to encourage healthier choices and be a leader in the Food as Medicine concept?

Most Outstanding Players: Edwin CrittendonII, Prairie View A&MUniversity; Sherman Cravens, LangstonUniversity and Kashif Alston, BluefieldState.Award: $1,000 for each team member.

"Kroger's Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Innovation Challenge program is an important part of preparing our talented students for the real world by offering them opportunities to make a significant societal contribution while helping Kroger accomplish its goal," said Dr. Harry L. Williams, President & CEO of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. "In addition, they are exposed to new technologies in the web 3.0 space. These amazing students work together to solve real-world challenges. They never cease to impress us with their ingenuity and initiative. We're proud to once again be part of this program, amplifying incredible, untapped talent."

In 2021, as part of Kroger's Framework for Action: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Kroger allocated $5 million to The Kroger Co. Foundation to establish a new Racial Equity Fund with the vision to create more equitable communities by being the spark that ignites innovative solutions. In 2022, the company contributed an additional $5 million to the Fund to further advance race equity in America.

To learn more about The Kroger Co. Foundation, visit here.

About KrogerAt The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), we are dedicated to our Purpose: To Feed the Human Spirit™. We are, across our family of companies nearly half a million associates who serve over 11 million customers daily through a seamless digital shopping experience and retail food stores under a variety of banner names, serving America through food inspiration and uplift, and creating #ZeroHungerZeroWastecommunities by 2025. To learn more about us, visit our newsroom and investor relations site.

About Thurgood Marshall College FundEstablished in 1987, the ThurgoodMarshall College Fund (TMCF) is the nation's largest organization exclusively representing the Black College Community. TMCFmember-schools include the publicly-supported Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Predominantly Black Institutions, enrolling nearly 80% of all students attending black colleges and universities. Through scholarships, capacity building and research initiatives, innovative programs, and strategic partnerships, TMCFis a vital resource in the K-12 and higher education space. The organization is also the source of top employers seeking top talent for competitive internships and good jobs.

TMCF is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, charitable organization. For more information about TMCF, visit: www.tmcf.org.

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SOURCE The Kroger Co.