Solar lights at Festival Foods store

NEENAH - A grocery store chain is being honored in Wisconsin.

Governor Walker declared Friday, "Festival Foods Day."

It's because the De Pere-based company is green with energy.

The chain's newest store in Neenah is the fifth store to include solar lighting.

The store, which is expected to open next week, features solar light pipes on its roof.

That's expected to reduce the store's use of electric lighting during the day.

Because of the energy plan, the chain received an award from Orion Energy Systems.

"We're constantly looking at ways to become more green and join the sustainability movement; and it really helped that Orion Industries was local in Manitowoc where we were building at the time, and we really like to strike up relationships with local business partners,” said Marlin Greenfield, Festival Foods chief operating officer.

The other Festival stores with the solar lighting are in Sheboygan, Manitowoc, La Crosse, and Suamico.

Between all the stores, nearly $27,000 has been saved each year by reducing energy.