News and Media

For Immediate Release

October 21, 2008

Howard Cannon
Rubenstein Associates
(212) 843-8072

Senate President Don Williams to Chair Affordable Food Summit

Senate President Don Williams will chair a summit to examine the rising cost of food and explore options that will enable the consumer to reduce weekly expenses. The Affordable Food Summit will be held on Wednesday, October 29 at 11:00a.m. at the Stop & Shop Supermarket located at 44 Fenn Road, Newington, CT.

The summit is being held at a time when, according to the Producer Price Index in a yearover- year comparison, prices for finished consumer foods have increased by 8.7%, the largest gain since 1981. Almost nine cents out of every dollar a household spends now goes to food consumed at home. During the last quarter wheat prices doubled while corn, milk, and oilseeds are near their peak. The average American family of four now spends $8,513 per year on groceries, a monthly average of $709.

Senator Williams will be joined by: Representative Sandy Nafis, Foodshare President and CEO Gloria McAdam, Lucy Nolan of End Hunger Connecticut, Economist Pete Gioia, and Stop & Shop Consumer Advisor Andrea Astrachan. They will bring their own unique expertise to explain the causes of the rising costs of food, and will offer solutions to customers and their families.

What: Affordable Food Summit

When: Wednesday, October 29 at 11:00a.m.

Where: Stop & Shop Supermarket, 44 Fenn Road, Newington, CT

Why: Energy is driving the cost of food to new highs, forcing every family to embrace unprecedented cost cutting strategies.