Longtime Northwoods Grocer among those Recognized for Energy Efficiency

Minocqua, Wis. – Trig’s has been a fixture in Northwoods communities for more than 40 years.

The grocer’s self-stated mission includes providing an enjoyable shopping experience at its stores, which is made easier through Trig’s projects with FOCUS ON ENERGY® aimed at reducing energy waste and improving customer experience.

Trig’s has worked with Focus on Energy on numerous energy-efficiency projects at its Minocqua store in recent years, earning the business recognition as a 2019 Energy Efficiency Leader in Grocery as selected by Focus on Energy, Wisconsin’s statewide energy efficiency and renewable resources program.

“Partnering with Focus on Energy has been a great opportunity to reduce our energy consumption [and] improve our efficiency while still providing a great guest experience,” said T.A. Solberg Company President Bob Jaskolski. “The resources and information they have available are an incredible benefit to businesses.”

The stores recognized with the honor were chosen based on energy savings in the 2017 and 2018 calendar years, and also for consistency in making energy efficiency a top priority in their businesses. Other 2019 Energy Efficiency Leader in Grocery recipients include:

• Olsen’s Piggly Wiggly, Cedarburg
• Fox Brothers Piggly Wiggly, Port Washington and Slinger
• Mayville Piggly Wiggly, Mayville
• Gillett Shell, Gillett
• Piggly Wiggly Midwest LLC, Platteville
• StoneRidge Piggly Wiggly, De Pere

Trig’s, which started with a single, small store in Land O’Lakes in 1971, was selected based on LED lighting and commercial refrigeration upgrades at the Minocqua store.

The combined projects have estimated lifecycle energy savings of 7,362,907 kilowatt hours of electricity and 231,494 therms of natural gas. That’s enough energy to power about 770 average homes for a full year.

Focus on Energy gave Trig’s financial incentives for those projects totaling more than $26,000 to help offset the costs of the upgrades. In addition, the Minocqua store will see savings of more than $80,000 annual on its energy bills.

Focus on Energy also recently honored Kimp’s Ace Hardware in Green Bay and Fleet Farm, based in Appleton, as 2019 Energy Efficiency Leaders in Retails.

Trig’s in Minocqua is a customer of WPS, one of the 107 Wisconsin utilities that partner in Focus on Energy. Residential, business and other customers of those utilities are eligible for the energy expertise and financial incentives the Program offers.

A third-party evaluation noted Wisconsin runs the most cost-effective energy efficiency programs in the nation. It also found every $1 invested in Focus on Energy generates more than $5 in benefits for Wisconsin, including economic benefits, reduced pollution and reduced energy costs.