DALLAS – An Army & Air Force Exchange Service (Exchange) and Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) collaborative effort, leveraging the Exchange’s Gruenstadt water plant, is ensuring a steady flow of fresh, locally sourced purified drinking water for service members and their families across Europe.
Available in 500-milliliter and 1-liter bottles, Freedom’s Choice is DeCA’s private-label bottled water brand. The product joins Culligan and the Exchange’s own private-label brand, Nature’s Recipe, as the third line of water bottled at the plant.
“When DeCA and the Exchange work together, the entire military community benefits,” said Exchange Director/CEO Tom Shull. “Access to clean, potable water is critical to readiness and resiliency, and this strengthened partnership helps ensure safe drinking water will continue to be readily available and affordable at European commissaries.”
In addition to water bottling, the Exchange’s 92,000-square-foot Gruenstadt plant houses a bakery where the Exchange produces name-brand bread, cakes and other goods for Exchange Express stores and restaurants; commissaries; military dining halls; Morale, Welfare and Recreation facilities; Department of Defense schools; and other DoD entities throughout Europe.
“Our service members and their families are winners whenever their commissaries and exchanges collaborate,” said Bill Moore, DeCA’s director and CEO. “The Exchange bottling our Freedom’s Choice Water in Germany allows us to offer our patrons quality products at significant savings.”
The water, extracted from the deep wells of Gruenstadt, is produced to ensure exceptional taste and quality. First, it passes through a carbon filter and is softened to remove calcium ions. The water is then purified and sterilized by reverse osmosis before minerals are reintroduced.
Social media-friendly version: The Exchange’s Gruenstadt water plant in Germany now produces Freedom’s Choice purified drinking water, the Defense Commissary Agency’s private-label bottled water brand, through a collaborative effort between the Exchange and DeCA. Read more: https://wp.me/p9Q7PG-2cK.
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Since 1895, the Army & Air Force Exchange Service (Exchange) has gone where Soldiers, Airmen, Guardians and their families go to improve the quality of their lives by providing valued goods and services at exclusive military pricing. The Exchange is the 54th-largest retailer in the United States. 100% of Exchange earnings support military communities. In the last 10 years, your Exchange benefit has provided $3.5 billion in earnings for critical military Quality-of-Life programs. The Exchange is a non-appropriated fund entity of the Department of Defense and is directed by a Board of Directors. The Exchange is a 50th Anniversary Vietnam War Commemorative Partner, planning and conducting events and activities that recognize the service, valor and sacrifice of Vietnam Veterans and their families in conjunction with the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration. To find out more about the Exchange history and mission or to view recent press releases please visit our website at http://www.shopmyexchange.com or follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ExchangePAO.
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Media Notes:
For more information or to schedule an interview with an Exchange representative please contact Conner Hammett, 214-312-2714 or [email protected].
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