Retailers toast '06 with healthy initiatives

It's a new year, which brings new opportunities for supermarkets to court health-conscious consumers. Many retailers nationwide are launching innovative programs and tools to educate their loyal shoppers, reach new clientele, and, ultimately, promote healthy vibes for their brands.

A few of the more original ideas from retailers include the following:

• Wild Oats, Inc. took a positive spin on new-year weight loss goals last month by introducing a diet plan focused on nutrient-dense "superfoods" such as nuts, green leafy veggies, kiwifruit, and pomegranates. The program builds on Wild Oats' existing storewide superfoods education program.

"These foods are good for you, and they're tasty, too," notes spokeswoman Krista Coleman. "They aren't diet foods. We're showing people how you can make these foods a part of your everyday diet."

The Superfoods-Super You! Healthy Eating Plan is designed to help consumers understand the benefit of vitamins, minerals, and supplements, and to consider the balance between eating well and exercising regularly. A 48-page guide being sold in Wild Oats stores for $1 includes information on the various superfoods, their health benefits, recipes, a flexible meal plan developed by Wild Oats dietitians and nutritionists, handy shopping lists, information on vitamins and supplements, recommendations for living a healthy lifestyle, and hydration, fitness, and mindful eating tips.

Superfoods, according to Wild Oats, are wholesome foods that pack a nutritious punch. Wild Oats staff has researched the superfoods most recommended by dietary experts and has highlighted the following food groups in its stores: berries, citrus, cruciferous vegetables, eggs, green foods, green leafy vegetables, legumes, nuts, oats, olives and olive oil, fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids, orange vegetables, sea vegetables, seeds, soy, tea, tomatoes, turkey, whole grains, and yogurt and kefir. For 2006 Wild Oats has expanded its list of superfoods to include the following: apples, cinnamon, kiwifruit, herbs and spices, honey, dark chocolate, and pomegranates. The additions were made based on best-selling author Dr. Steven Pratt's new book, SuperFoods HealthStyle.

• As a way to help shoppers live healthier lifestyles, Giant Food, LLC in Landover, Md. began Jan. 1 to distribute Fresh Start...Healthy Rewards, a free booklet of tips on exercise and better nutrition.

"Our customers are increasingly interested in health and wellness, and we know that in the new year many customers will resolve to live a healthier life by eating healthy foods and exercising," says Giant's director of consumer affairs, Andrea Astrachan. "We want to be a resource for our customers by helping them understand how to include healthy food choices in their diets and how to balance calories with activity, which is critical to overall health and weight control."

The booklet espouses three principles: Eat healthy foods daily; Enjoy food with family and friends; Balance calories with activity.

Fresh Start...Healthy Rewards also teaches shoppers how to calculate daily caloric needs, plan family meals, and eat appropriate portions. Additionally, the booklet highlights the benefits of eating more whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and fat-free and low-fat dairy items.

Written by Giant's in-house nutritionists, the booklet was reviewed by the company's health-and-wellness adviser, Dr. George Blackburn, S. Daniel Abraham associate professor of nutrition and associate director of nutrition at Harvard Medical School's Division of Nutrition.

• The Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA), based in Fort Lee, Va., has introduced a series of shelf signs featuring dietary tips as part of the organization's ongoing "It's Your Choice, Make it Healthy" campaign.

"We want to be the nutritional leader of the military community," says Patrick B. Nixon, c.e.o. and acting director of DeCA. "Commissaries offer health-and-wellness products, fresh produce, lean meats, and much more—all at cost. And one of the best ways to lose weight and eat healthy is to know what's in the products you're buying. You can't always do that in restaurants or the fast-food drive-through, but you can do it by reading labels at the commissary."

The dietary tips, based on the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans from the U.S. departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services, are located where customers will find pizza and frozen entrees, juice, dairy, canned vegetables and fruits, oils and fats, cereals, bread, pasta, rice, canned meats, snack foods, and dairy. A generic tip tells customers what "daily value" means on product labels.

"We're not trying to tell people what's good or bad for them," notes Nixon. "We're just offering some 'food for thought' while they shop. And since we're very concerned about food safety, customers will also see tips on food handling, preparation, and storage."

DeCA is encouraging store directors at all 268 commissaries worldwide to join forces with health-and-wellness professionals for commissary tours and health-and-wellness events, particularly during National Nutrition Month in March and Commissary Awareness Month in May.

DeCA operates a worldwide chain of commissaries providing groceries to military personnel, retirees, and their families.

• This month Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.'s supercenters and Neighborhood Markets are conducting a retailtainment event, in partnership with the Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH), that kids may go ape over. The Feb. 11 event includes a special message about healthy eating from Curious George.

For the event PBH and health-minded sponsors will team up with over 2,000 Wal-Mart supercenters and Neighborhood Markets to present a national promotion featuring Curious George and his friends. The event coincides with the Feb. 10 theatrical release of the movie Curious George.

Dubbed "Get Curious About Good Health," the program will leverage Curious George's popularity to boost awareness of PBH's Color Way message, which encourages consumers to eat a colorful variety of fruits and vegetables every day for better health. It's anticipated that the event will reach more than 10 million consumers.

Children visiting Wal-Mart supercenter produce departments will receive a Curious George-themed fun-and-games book for kids 2 to 8 years old, including a letter to parents and Curious Fun Facts on each page, while their mom and dads will receive a booklet, Get Curious About Good Health, featuring instructions on preparing such kid-friendly recipes as Orange You Smoothie and Veggie Mac and Cheese. Shoppers will in turn be encouraged to visit the produce section with custom point-of-sale signage and a standing floor display, and will also be invited to sample products from supporting vendors.

PBH and Wal-Mart have conducted similar events in the past several years, including Shrek, Charlie Brown, and the Fantastic Four, that have reached millions of families.

-Staff reports

Best grocers to work for

A handful of food retailers are on Fortune magazine's list of The 100 Best Companies to Work For, and the most prominent, Wegmans Food Markets, came in at No. 2, one off its lead position on last year's list.

The other grocers honored by the business magazine in its Jan. 23 issue are Whole Foods Market at No. 15, Nugget Markets at No. 33, Publix Super Markets at No. 56, and Stew Leonard's at No. 58.

While Wegmans slipped down a notch from last year, the family-owned privately held grocery chain is still a great place to work, according to Fortune, which noted that before Wegmans opened two new stores last year in the Washington, D.C. area, the company chartered jets to its Rochester, N.Y. base so all new full-timers could meet with c.e.o. Danny Wegman.

The 2006 list marks Wegmans' ninth consecutive appearance in Fortune's rankings.

Woodland, Calif.-based independent Nugget Markets made its debut on the list this year, thanks to its associate-friendly benefits. Fortune was particularly impressed by the independent's lack of premiums for full health insurance, $1-a-week family coverage, and pension and 401(k) plan. The 1,091-employee business also ranks 12th in the small companies ranking.

Employee-owned Publix experienced a dramatic rise from its ranking last year of No. 94, perhaps because it's such a fun place to work. To cap off 2005, which marked the Lakeland, Fla.-based company's 75th anniversary, 850 stores threw parties with balloons, banners, costumes, and musical performances, noted Fortune.

Stew Leonard's, celebrating its fifth consecutive appearance on the Fortune list, tumbled from its 2005 perch at No. 29, which the grocer puts down to how increasingly competitive the list has become. Still, with such innovative programs as "Mom's Hours," which allow mothers to work while their children go to school, and even take off summers to care for them, the Norwalk, Conn.-based gourmet retailer was virtually guaranteed a spot in the 2006 rankings.

—Bridget Goldschmidt