Bashas', a Chandler, Ariz.-based grocery store chain, recently installed Cree LED lights at its Tempe, Ariz., location and is already realizing significant financial savings through energy efficiency and lower maintenance costs. The installation has been so successful, in fact, that company officials are planning to introduce the lights in all of their new stores, as well as for any future retrofitting projects they may undertake.
Energy efficiency powered by Cree, Inc.
Bashas' decided to go with luminaires powered by Cree TrueWhite® Technology to light the Tempe store, and the difference has been immediately noticeable. Not only do the new LED lights help to create a more welcoming environment for shoppers and make product displays more attractive, they have already led to 47 percent energy savings over the store's previous lighting design, leading to rapid return on investment.
"Shopping is a highly visual experience and it's critical to showcase products in their most appetizing colors," said Scott Murphy, construction manager for Bashas'. "When we decided to remodel the Tempe location, we initially chose fluorescent T8s and CFL downlights until we were introduced to Cree LED lighting. Cree luminaires not only deliver the best LED lights in the industry but also provide significant energy and maintenance savings compared to outdated technologies. In the grocery store industry, it's all about margins and Cree helped add green to our bottom line."
Roadmap for other stores to follow
Bashas' Tempe retrofit provides a template for how other customer-centric businesses can use LEDs to make their stores more energy efficient and inviting to customers. Cree products that Bashas' used, like Cree®CS18™linear luminaires, CR24™ troffers and LR6™ and LE6™ downlights, resulted in energy savings through more efficient illumination techniques like dimming capabilities that can be employed during off-peak hours. They also brought better luminescence to products and store shelves with strong vertical light levels.
"Businesses like Bashas' no longer have to choose between color quality and savings," said Mike Bauer, vice president of lighting sales, Cree. "Cree luminaires provide a truly no-compromise alternative to fluorescent lighting with exceptional light quality, reduced energy and reduced maintenance costs – all working to increase the bottom line"
Since cost is always a determining consideration for any business, it's important to note that through energy savings and reduced maintenance costs Bashas' expects to see a return on investment within two years. And with Cree's 10-year warranty offering additional investment protection, the financial benefits of switching to LEDs are even harder to ignore.
