Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH) has named 15 supermarket retailers as Fruits & Veggies—More Matters Role Models and Champions for 2012 in recognition of their support for the national public health campaign and for PBH. A total of 6 retailers achieved Role Model status (the top level of recognition) and 9 achieved Champion status.
The retail Role Models are: Food Lion, Meijer, Roundy’s, Schnuck Markets, Spartan and SuperValu. Schnuck Markets was the first retailer to be named a Fruits & Veggies—More Matters Role Model in 2007, and has earned this recognition every year since then. This is the 5th consecutive year Food Lion has earned Role Model status, the 4th consecutive year for SuperValu, and the 2nd consecutive year for Meijer. In 2011, Roundy’s earned Champion status, but expanded their support throughout 2012 to earn Role Model status for the first time. 2012 marked the first time Spartan has qualified for the recognition program. Their efforts earned Role Model status. These retailers’ support encompassed:
Including the Fruits & Veggies—More Matters logo in weekly circulars, special promotions, on POS signs and in-store supplies, in newsletters, in-store magazines and radio, and in all forms matter advertising and promotions.
Linking to FruitsAndVeggiesMoreMatters.org
Creating a Fruits & Veggies—More Matters page/section on their consumer website
Participating as a PBH Board of Trustees member
Attending PBH annual board meeting and dinner/auction
Serving on PBH board-level committees
Providing content for consumer columns on FruitsAndVeggiesMoreMatters.org
The retail Champions are: Ahold USA, AWG, DeCA, Donelan’s, Hy-Vee, King Kullen, Redner’s, Rohrer Brothers, Inc., and Weis Markets. This is the 3rd time AWG and Weis Markets have earned Champion status, the 2nd time for Donelan’s, King Kullen, and Redner’s, and the 1st time for Ahold USA, DeCA,
Hy-Vee and Rohrer Brothers, Inc. Examples of support from the Champions are:
Including the Fruits & Veggies—More Matters logo in weekly circulars, special promotions and on POS signs and in-store supplies such as roll bags
Linking to FruitsAndVeggiesMoreMatters.org
“We’re extremely proud and appreciative of the efforts contributed by all of our licensed retailers to remind consumers that eating more fruits and vegetables in all forms really does matter to their health,” said Elizabeth Pivonka, Ph.D., R.D., president and CEO of PBH. “However, these Role Models and Champions went above and beyond in their diverse support of Fruits and Veggies—More Matters and PBH. We are especially grateful to all of the retailers exhibiting a true commitment to our mission by earning Role Model or Champion status in multiple years.”
Pivonka added that she is looking forward to formally recognizing these supermarket retailers during a special Role Model and Champion recognition luncheon to be held during the general session of PBH’s Annual Conference on March 14th in San Francisco, California. Retailers can earn PBH Role Model and Champion honors for helping to realize the power the Fruits & Veggies—More Matters health campaign has to influence consumption, and boost bottom lines in the process. For more information on becoming a Retail Role Model or Champion view the criteria on the PBH website. The foundation will identify and reference these role models in the ongoing public relations activities of Fruits & Veggies—More Matters.
About Produce for Better Health Foundation
Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH) is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) fruit and vegetable education foundation. Since 1991, PBH has worked to motivate people to eat more fruits and vegetables to improve public health. PBH achieves success through industry and government collaboration, first with the 5 A Day program and now with the Fruits & Veggies-More Matters public health initiative. Fruits & Veggies-More Matters is the nation's largest public-private, fruit and vegetable nutrition education initiative with Fruit and Vegetable Nutrition Coordinators in each state, territory and the military. To learn more, visit www.PBHFoundation.org and www.FruitsandVeggiesMoreMatters.org. Follow Fruits & Veggies-More Matters on Facebook or Twitter.
PBH is also a member and co-chair with Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) of the National Fruit & Vegetable Alliance (NFVA), consisting of government agencies, non-profit organizations, and industry working to collaboratively and synergistically achieve increased nationwide access and demand for all forms of fruits and vegetables for improved public health. To learn more, visit www.NFVA.org.
Source: Produce for Better Health Foundation