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Sustainable Success Stories

McQuade's Marketplace Inc., a family owned and operated business, has been a leader in the community for its “green" initiatives.

McQuade's Marketplace in Mystic, CT has the largest solar electric system at a grocery store in the state. The new system, unveiled in October 2009, generates about 168,200 kilowatt hours of clean energy each year, which is roughly the power needed for more than 10 average-sized New England homes. The rooftop solar unit uses a photovoltaic system to generate electricity for the supermarket. It was the first such system installed locally. The Mystic store was perfect for the new solar energy system because of its large, flat roof. The chain's other stores don't have similar flat roofs.

The solar installation at the Mystic retail store received a grant of more than $641,000 from the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund. The fund www.ctcleanenergy.com) was created by the Connecticut legislature, and is funded by electric ratepayers, to promote, develop and invest in clean energy sources.

Among McQuade's other environmentally friendly projects was the renovation of its flagship store in Westerly, RI. The extensive project made the retail store more customer and environmentally friendly.

The business was awarded a "gold level" certification for installing a state-of-the-art refrigeration system that reduces its overall refrigerant emissions by 95 percent compared to the standard refrigeration systems used by other grocers. It's now recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's "Green Chill" partnership. In September 2011, McQuades received the Best Emissions Rate Award for its use of refrigeration technology over a year’s period. "Mc Quade's attention to improved maintenance practices was another key to the company's success in reducing harmful refrigerant emissions," Keilly Witman, manager of EPA's GreenChill Partnership, said. For information, visit: www.epa.gov/greenchill.


All three of the McQuade’s Marketplace stores use heat-reclaiming systems that help cool and heat the stores,as well as provide the heat for the stores' hot water needs.

The grocery firm uses two diesel delivery trucks that were converted from standard diesel fuel to burn reprocessed (and discarded) fryolater oil from the stores. The two trucks handle daily deliveries while burning reprocessed oil that might have been used previously to make up a batch of fish and chips. It's a novel way to put the discarded (and filtered) oil to good use providing fuel for those delivery trucks. McQuade says All of these energy-saving initiatives are reflective of the McQuade family’s commitment to be responsive to its customers, communities, employees and the environment.

Visit McQuade's website at www.mcquadesmarket.com.
14 Clara Drive, Mystic, CT
Tel: 860-536-2054

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