[November 27, 2012]

Ecolab Helps New Jersey Nonprofit Kitchen's Clean Makeover Dreams Come True

The FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties in Neptune, N.J., has won the first Ecolab Clean Makeover Contest and will receive $25,000 in Ecolab equipment, products and services to enhance the cleanliness and efficiency of their operations.

"This is a dream come true for us," said Chef Raymond Cattley with The FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties. "After Superstorm Sandy, we distributed enough food for one million meals. To meet the increased demands for our services, we must maintain our high standards of cleanliness and sanitation. Winning the Ecolab Clean Makeover Contest will allow us to draw on Ecolab's expertise to ensure we operate a clean and safe foodservice environment."

Through the Clean Makeover Contest, Ecolab invited foodservice operators to explain why they could use extra help from Ecolab to enhance the cleanliness and efficiency of their operations. Entries ranged from humbling to humorous, but all shared a common theme: a desire to maintain a high degree of cleanliness under sometimes challenging conditions.

The FoodBank's entry stood out to contest judges because the impact of the organization is magnified through its Culinary Training Kitchen Program, which provides unemployed and under-employed adults the opportunity to train for jobs in the foodservice industry. Through the program, students learn on-site food preparation and kitchen operations, including food safety regulations and best practices in kitchen sanitation. The program has successfully graduated more than 200 students since it began in March 2002.

"Our students will benefit from Ecolab's expertise and will bring best-in-class food safety practics to other foodservice operations once they complete our program," said Cattley.

The Clean Makeover Contest prize package, valued at $25,000, includes:

• An Ecolab rental dishmachine with new Apex2 technology
• Ecolab Pest Elimination service
• An Ecolab Cleaning Caddy for touch-free restroom cleaning
• Assorted cleaning products and tools for kitchen operations, including detergents, sanitizers, floor and glass cleaners and hand care products
• Ice Machine Smart Care^SM Performance Check service
• Water filtration equipment for an ice machine and postmix beverages
• A food safety evaluation and coaching session
• Prep-n-Print food labeling system

"Research shows how important cleanliness is to the success of foodservice operations," explained Nicolas Granucci, Ecolab vice president of Foodservice Marketing. "Operators with disciplined cleanliness programs can achieve a high level of cleanliness and safety more consistently. The Ecolab Clean Makeover Contest is our way of helping The FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties build on their existing cleaning programs for even greater impact."

Additional information on the contest, including video of the Ecolab team informing The FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties that the organization had won the Clean Makeover Contest, can be found at: www.whycleanmatters.com/cleanmakeover/media.

About the Culinary Training Kitchen
Started in 1984, The FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties works to build food secure communities. The organization serves more than 260 food pantries, soup kitchens, and other programs, and operates mobile pantries, programs for children and outreach efforts. In just the first few days after Superstorm Sandy, The FoodBank provided more than 33,000 meals to food pantries, churches, senior centers, shelters and other organizations serving those who were hardest hit by the storm. Since Superstorm Sandy, The FoodBank has distributed enough food for one million meals, including hot meals from the kitchen, military rations (MREs), shelf stable food, disaster boxes and fresh and frozen items for organizations cooking for victims and rescue workers.

About Ecolab
With 2011 pro forma sales of $11 billion and more than 40,000 employees, Ecolab Inc. (NYSE: ECL) is the global leader in water, hygiene and energy technologies and services that provide and protect clean water, safe food, abundant energy and healthy environments. Ecolab delivers comprehensive programs and services to the food, energy, healthcare, industrial and hospitality markets in more than 160 countries. For more Ecolab news and information, visit www.ecolab.com.

(ECL-P)

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