Progressive Grocer - November 2008 - (Page 8)

On demand ONLINE Front end Retail news and trends analysis The top stories people were reading in recent weeks on Progressivegrocer.com: 1. Global Shopper Study Says Nutrition Guiding Stars 30% Choose a Brand in the Store 2. Walmart to Close Neighborhood Market in Dallas 3. Albertson’s, LLC Bows $4.99 Prescription Discount Program looks beyond grocery uiding Stars Licensing Co. (GSLC), a new company formed to license Hannaford Supermarket’s “Guiding Stars” nutrition rating program, is actively looking to broaden its consumer reach by recruiting more partners outside of the grocery channel. The licensing company, incorporated July 1, is marketing the program not only to grocers, but also to food manufacturers, restaurants, and convenience stores, in addition to hospitals and schools. Currently, the program, touted by Hannaford as leading providers of nutritional solutions.” the nation’s first storewide nutrition rating system, is According to Eldredge, the company is aggresup and running at 1,450 East Coast grocery stores sively pursuing new relationships: “We are already in under the Delhaize Group umbrella. Besides all 165 discussions with several prospective retail partners, Hannaford locations, which are in the Northeast, but have not officially signed anyone outside of the Guiding Stars shelf tags, signs, and other collateral Delhaize family as of yet. Our goal is to have at least materials can now be found at 1,177 Food Lion stores one significant announcement during the fourth in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic, and 108 Sweetbay quarter of this year.” The company has also initiSupermarket stores in central and western Florida. ated discussions with several regional and national “Since the inception of Guiding Stars, we’ve consumer food product manufacturers, with a goal received inquiries from many different stakeholders of one regional signed in the fourth quarter, and about how to obtain and implement the program,” several national partners during 2009. says Chip LeBlanc, director of operations at GSLC. “We’re reaching out to organizations that are interested Minor tweaks for foodservice On another front, the system has already rolled in helping consumers make nutritious food choices.” “Obesity and related diseases continue to be seri- out in a corporate foodservice system, adds Eldredge. ous problems, and we’re committed to being part of Further, “[w]e are beginning to work on a pilot projthe broader public health solution,” notes GSLC ect with a public school system in Maine, and are director of brand and business development John also in the early stages of discussions with a major health care provider,” he notes. Eldredge. “We’re emphasizing how More ONLINE “The only tweaks necessary are Guiding Stars can help licensees that the foodservice partner is meet consumer demand for accuFor the latest required to provide a complete rate, at-a-glance nutritional guidindustry news, go to ingredient listing for each menu ance; build customer loyalty; and Progressivegrocer.com item to be rated.” define participating companies as 8 • Progressive Grocer • November 2008 A H E A D O F W H AT ’ S N E X T G Other foodservice partners targeted by GSLC include restaurant chains, foodservice distributors, and other institutional foodservice providers, including airlines. The ultimate aim of the company, says Eldredge, is “to build a national retail presence for Guiding Stars and establish it as the standard for user-friendly nutrition navigation.” He observes, “Although Guiding Stars started as an in-store navigation system, it was designed to be applicable to front-of-package labeling and restaurant and foodservice menus as well.” The science-based, proprietary system, which Hannaford first introduced in September 2006, rates all edible items in the store with zero to three stars, representing good, better or best nutritional value, respectively. The system has analyzed, evaluated and rated over 50,000 food items to date. Advisory panel members on the program hail from the University of North Carolina, Dartmouth School of Medicine, Tufts University, the Muskie School of Public Service at the University of Southern Maine, Harvard University, and the University of California-Davis. In regard to Topco’s rival NuVal system, which is Continued on page 16 www.progressivegrocer.com http://www.Progressivegrocer.com http://www.Progressivegrocer.com http://www.progressivegrocer.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Progressive Grocer - November 2008

Progressive Grocer - November 2008
Contents
Front End
Nielsen’s Shelf Stoppers/Spotlight
Market Snapshot
Lempert Report
Independents Report
Cover Story: Store of the Month
PG Industry Event
Private Label: What Economic Downturn?
Private Label: Critical Mass
2008 Category Captains Awards
Beverage Alcohol
Meat Snacks
Meat Trends
Produce
Holiday General Merchandise
Equipment Innovations

Progressive Grocer - November 2008

https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/stagnito/pg_201006
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/pg_201005
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/pg_201004
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/pg_201003
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/pg_20100102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/pg_20091112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/pg_200910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/pg_20090809
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/pg_20090607
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/pg_200905
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/pg_200904
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/pg_200903
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/pg_20090102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/pg_200812
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nielsen/pg_200811
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com