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Fourteen Retailers Earn Recognition for Consumer Awareness

Fourteen retailers have earned recognition for their commitment to increasing consumer awareness about eating more fruits and vegetables for better health. Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH), the nonprofit organization in partnership with CDC behind the Fruits & Veggies-More MattersŪ national public health initiative, has named seven Retail Role Models and seven Retail Champions for 2010. These companies will be formally recognized with awards during the foundation's Role Model/Champion Recognition Luncheon at the foundation's Annual Meeting in Monterey, CA.

Seven retailers achieved Role Model status. They include; Ahold USA, Inc., Defense Commissary Agency, Food Lion Stores, Inc., The Kroger Company, Safeway, Inc., Schnuck Markets, Inc., and SuperValu/W. Newell & Company.

Seven retailers achieved Champion status. They include; The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company, Inc., Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc., Big Y Foods, Inc., Meijer, Inc., Redner's Markets, Inc., Save Mart Supermarkets, and Weis Markets, Inc..

To achieve Champion status, a retailer must demonstrate that they have the health of their customers in mind by communicating messages that encourage the consumption of more fruits and vegetables such as placing the Fruits & Veggies-More Matters logo on in-store signage and linking to the Fruits & Veggies-More Matters website. In order to achieve Role Model status, a retailer must fulfill the Champion level requirements and additionally implement other strategies that support Fruits & Veggies-More Matters by promoting healthy eating.

"Fruits and vegetables help reduce the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers. They are truly one of your best disease fighting weapons and the cheapest form of health insurance available," said Elizabeth Pivonka, Ph.D., R.D., president and CEO of PBH. "These Retail Role Models and Champions havedemonstrated concern for the health of their customers bygoing the extra mile to promote their consumption of fruits and vegetables and we feel that deserves to be recognized."

Learn more about Fruits & Veggies-More Matters online at www.FruitsAndVeggiesMoreMatters.org. The Fruits & Veggies-More Matters website has a wealth of tips and advice for healthy eating including; a recipe database with over 1,000 recipes, many of which can be made in 30 minutes or less, and a video center loaded with informational and entertaining short clips that offer fruit and veggie selection and storage advice and preparation and usage techniques. You can follow Fruits & Veggies-More Matters on Twitter, or Facebook.