BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – With the opening of its Ralphs Fuel Center this week, Ralphs Grocery Co. says it is the first grocery chain to offer gasoline in Bakersfield, Calif.

The Kroger Co. subsidiary will celebrate the opening of the new fueling operation with a ribbon-cutting ceremony tomorrow.

"We are excited to open our first Ralphs Fuel Center in the City of Bakersfield," said John Burgon, President of Ralphs Supermarkets. "We know our customers are busy and we believe our new Fuel Center provides one more convenience to the one-stop-shopping experience at our California & Stockdale Ralphs Marketplace store.

The new Ralphs Fuel Center includes eight fueling positions and convenience items, such as ice, soft drinks, tobacco products, lottery and lotto tickets, phone cards, candy, chewing gum and automotive products, according to the grocery chain. Both the Fuel Center and Ralphs Marketplace are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The Fuel Center is staffed from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. and accepts debit or credit card purchases during other hours.

Cincinnati-based Kroger currently operates more than 210 fuel centers in its divisions throughout the country. The Bakersfield location is the first for Ralphs with several more planned to open over the next 24 months, according to company officials. Ralphs Grocery Company operates more than 450 supermarkets under the Ralphs, Food 4 Less, Foods Co. and Cala/Bell banners in California and southern Nevada.

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