NACS Unveils Next Innovation in Healthier Convenience Retailing

Co-branded programs with the Partnership for a Healthier America include an online product calculator and a new Drink Up partnership.

October 20, 2017

CHICAGO – NACS and the Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) announced two new co-branded programs to help NACS members provide more visibility to healthier choices inside their stores. In addition, the groups announced this week at the NACS Show that two new convenience distributors have signed commitments with PHA: Harold Levinson Associates and S. Abraham & Sons.

First, the Healthier Product Calculator is an online resource that allows convenience retailers to easily identify items that meet the PHA Healthier Food & Beverage Product Criteria. The online tool will help retailers more confidently develop better-for-you store sets and make healthier food choices more accessible to the 160 million customers who shop at convenience stores every day. 

The online calculator is based on the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, an evidenced-based set of guidelines crafted by a group of nationally recognized nutrition and medical experts, and released every five years by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Health and Human Services. The Healthier Product Calculator is available to all NACS retail, supplier and distributor members at convenience.org/calculator.

“With more than 23.5 million people living where healthy and affordable foods are limited or unavailable, we have a significant opportunity to address one of our nation’s biggest challenges,” said PHA President & CEO Nancy E. Roman in a press release. “As PHA continues to work with NACS and the convenience store industry, we’re discovering more opportunities to meaningfully address food access, while supporting each aspect of the supply chain.”  

Second, the organizations announced that NACS is now an official partner of PHA’s Drink Up campaign, which encourages Americans to drink more water, more often. With convenience stores selling approximately 50% of the country’s single-serve bottled water, the three-year partnership will give NACS members the opportunity to access Drink Up marketing collateral and point of sale materials through a digital hub to help drive sales of bottled water in stores.

A 2016 study by Nielsen Catalina Solutions (NCS) found that the Drink Up campaign fueled a 5% lift in incremental sales of bottled water among those exposed to the online campaign. 

Also at the NACS Show, PHA announced that distributors Harold Levinson Associates (HLA) and S. Abraham & Sons (SAS) have each made a three-year commitment to deliver more nutritious options to its convenience retail partners. 

“We are proud to stand with our retailer and distributor members, as well as many of the supplier members, in joining PHA and supporting its programs to make the healthy choice the convenient choice,” said NACS President and CEO Henry O. Armour.

To learn more about the Healthier Product Calculator, Drink Up and distributor commitments visit www.ahealthieramerica.org

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement