The Produce for Better Health Foundation 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.

Role Model status, which is the top level of recognition, was achieved by six retailers: 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 it has earned this recognition every year since then. This is the fifth consecutive year Food Lion has earned Role Model status, the fourth consecutive year for SuperValu and the second consecutive year for Meijer. In 2011 Roundy’s earned Champion status, but it expanded support throughout 2012 to earn Role Model status for the first time. Spartan qualified for the recognition program in 2012 for the first time, and its efforts earned Role Model status.

These retailers’ support encompassed the following:

• Including the Fruits & Veggies—More Matters logo in weekly circulars, special promotions, on point-of-sale signs and in-store supplies, in newsletters, in-store magazines and radio, and in all advertising and promotions.
• Linking to FruitsAndVeggiesMoreMatters.org.
• Creating a Fruits & Veggies—More Matters Web page/section on their consumer website.
• Participating as a PBH board of trustees member.
• Attending PBH annual board meeting and dinner and auction.
• Serving on PBH board-level committees.
• Providing content for consumer columns on FruitsAndVeggiesMoreMatters.org.

Nine retailers achieved Champion status: Ahold USA, AWG, DeCA, Donelan’s, Hy-Vee, King Kullen, Redner’s, Rohrer Brothers Inc. and Weis Markets.

This is the third time AWG and Weis Markets have earned Champion status; the second time for Donelan’s, King Kullen and Redner’s; and the first time for Ahold USA, DeCA, Hy-Vee and Rohrer Brothers Inc.

Examples of support from the Champions include the following:

• 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,” Elizabeth Pivonka, president and chief executive officer of PBH, said in a press release. “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.”

Ms. 

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 March 14 in San Francisco.

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.