Progressive Grocer - March 2010 - (Page 100)

Grocery Along for the Ride A unique yearlong promotion at Farm Fresh shows shoppers that the first step in adopting a greener lifestyle can start with a trip to their local supermarket. By Bridget Goldschmidt t a time when consumers are becoming increasingly concerned about the mark they’re leaving on the world — these days most often expressed as one’s “carbon footprint” — a new program from a regional supermarket banner is helping its customers make the transition to more sustainable transportation practices, and offering incentives in the form of grocery discounts. Farm Fresh, a division of Minneapolis-based Supervalu, Inc. that operates 45 stores in Hampton Roads, Franklin and Richmond, Va., and in Wilson and Elizabeth City, N.C., has formed a unique partnership with NuRide, Inc., the nation’s largest rewards program for individuals who use greener transportation, and TRAFFIX, a service of Hampton Roads Transit. The resulting program, known as “Groceries for Going Green,” rewards commuters in the Hampton Roads, Va., region with Farm Fresh discounts and groceries when they choose such environmentally friendly methods of getting around as carpooling, vanpooling, biking, walking, telecommuting or taking public transportation. Saving Money and the Environment “Groceries for Going Green” participants can go online to redeem rewards from Farm Fresh and other Hampton Roads,Va.-area program sponsors. Sponsored locally by Hampton Roads Transit’s TRAFFIX program, NuRide is a free service funded by sponsors that provide special offers to the program’s members. More information on the “Groceries for Going Green” program is available at www.farmfreshgoinggreen.com. An event held in January at the Southeast chain’s flagship location in downtown Norfolk,• Progressive Grocer • March 2010 Va., and featuring Farm Fresh president and COO Ron Dennis, Hampton Roads Transit VP James Toscano and NuRide CEO Rick Steele, kicked off the program, which will run throughout the area for one year. To participate in the initiative, commuters can enroll on the NuRide Web site and earn points for every car pool, van pool, public transportation, telecommute, walk or bike trip they take, which can be redeemed for rewards and special offers from sponsors, including coupons for $5 off purchases of $50 or more at Farm Fresh. Participants will also be entered into weekly prize drawings for $100 in groceries from the regional grocer. “Farm Fresh has long been committed to our local community and our environment,” said Dennis at the time of the event. “[T]his important initiative … can help families go green while saving some green on their groceries.” “When commuters take a greener trip, it not only helps them save money, but it [also] reduces traffic and emissions throughout the region,” added Toscano.“[T]hat’s why public-private partnerships and special events like this one are so A H E A D O F W H AT ’ S N E X T important — they achieve a win-win that benefits commuters, businesses and our entire region.” “[T]he Farm Fresh event, coupled with support from the TRAFFIX program, will be directly responsible for reducing 80,000 car trips, resulting in almost 2 million fewer miles driven and the prevention of over 800 tons of emissions,” observed Steele. Among the dozens of other Hampton Roadsarea companies sponsoring the NuRide program are Busch Gardens, Water Country USA, Nauticus, Dunkin’ Donuts, Mystery Dinner Playhouse, Qdoba, Taste Unlimited,Virginia Aquarium, Peninsula Fine Arts Center, Abbey Road Pub and Restaurant, Mojito Café, Contemporary Arts Center of Virginia, Norfolk Botanical Gardens, and the Virginia Zoo. In addition to Farm Fresh’s discounts, “[s]pecific rewards being offered by each sponsor are also listed on the NuRide Web site,” says Farm Fresh spokeswoman Susan Mayo. “It is important to note that rewards change weekly as new sponsors come on board and new offers are updated, so this is not a static list.” ■ www.progressivegrocer.com http://www.farmfreshgoinggreen.com http://www.progressivegrocer.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Progressive Grocer - March 2010

Progressive Grocer - March 2010
Table of Contents
Nielsen’s Shelf Stoppers/ Spotlight: Dairy/Yogurt
Green Grocer Awards 2010: Seeing Green
Multicultural Marketing: Use Your Common Census
Harold Lloyd on … “Making a Difference”: The Employee’s First 30 Days: It’s Now or Never
The Lempert Report: Enter the ‘Koodies’
Independent Retailing: Keep Cash Flowing With Trade Terms
Progressive Grocer’s 2010 Meat Operations Review: Value on a Platter
Progressive Grocer’s 2010 Seafood Operations Review: Seafood Hits its Stride
Executive Insight Series: Lasting Impressions: Forward Thinking
Produce: Tracking the Transition to Traceability
Meat: Heinen’s Freshens up Service Benchmarks
Natural/Organic: Nature’s Best on Ice: Natural and Organic Frozen Foods
Frozen/Dairy: Cold and Colder: Trends in Frozen and Dairy
Baby Food: Green to Grow On
Green Promotions: Along for the Ride
Foodservice: Loaded for Bar
Case Study: Clean Carts
What’s Next: Editors’ Picks for Innovative Products

Progressive Grocer - March 2010