Under the program, Food Lion said it will distribute about 3,000 boxes of stable, nutritious food. / Photo provided by: Food Lion
Food Lion has launched a “food pharmacy” pilot to address food insecurity and provide smarter food choices for customers with chronic health conditions.
Under a two-year program with Novant Health’s New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington, North Carolina, Food Lion said it will distribute about 3,000 boxes of stable, nutritious food.
This initiative aims to provide participants with access to healthy foods and encourage healthy lifestyle choices to achieve lasting health. Determined in part through evaluation by nutritionists at Novant Health and other experts in the Tristate Integrative Medicine Network.
“This partnership with Novant Health will help our neighbors eat healthier by using food as medicine,” said Matt Yates, vice president of brand strategy for Salisbury, N.C.-based Foodlion. “Through our food pharmacy program, we provide our neighbors with nutritious foods that help them manage chronic disease, thrive, and set themselves up for success.” will help.”
The program leverages Food Lion’s parent company, Ahold Delhaize USA’s Guiding Stars food labeling system. Designed to help shoppers quickly assess the health benefits of foods and follow doctor-prescribed dietary guidelines, the three-star rating system ranks one star as good and two stars as better. For the good, assign 3 stars to the most nutritious.
According to Food Lion, food pharmacy boxes contain shelf-stable, pre-sorted foods such as milk, oatmeal, tuna, black beans, canned unsalted vegetables, and pasta with sauces, plus groceries. Contains information about the store’s nutritious products and the Guiding Stars system. , Used for products and shelf labels in all Food Lion stores.
Jimmy Jones, Director of Operations for Food Lion’s Wilmington, NC Region, introduces the “Food Pharmacy” collaboration with Novant Health. / Photo provided by: Food Lion
At the New Hanover Regional Medical Center, nutritionists see patients at risk for malnutrition, and part of their evaluation includes screening for food insecurity, according to Food Lion. Patients facing food insecurity are eligible to receive a food pharmacy box upon discharge.
“We thank Food Lion for supporting our vision of a food pharmacy that benefits patients in need and for investing in this program to improve the health of individuals in our hospitals and clinics. Many suffer from chronic conditions, said Shore Davis, executive director of the New Hanover Regional Medical Center Foundation. It will help us further fulfill our mission of improving the health of people around the world.”
Overall, Food Lion operates more than 1,100 supermarkets in 10 states in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic.
Other Ahold Delhaize USA grocery chains have also implemented the “Food Pharmacy” initiative. In 2019, Landover, Maryland-based Giant Food launched Produce Rx, a program for local nonprofit DC Greens to increase access to healthy foods. Through Produce Rx, people receiving benefits via Medicaid health insurance plans administered by AmeriHealth Caritas DC will be able to obtain fruit and vegetable prescriptions from health professionals for diet-related chronic illnesses and in-store Giant pharmacies. can be written in the script.
And in January 2022, Stop & Shop will roll out its Fresh Connect program across its chain, offering prepaid debit cards to food-conscious consumers “prescribed” by health care providers to purchase fresh produce. announced plans to Stop & Shop says the expansion of Fresh Connect makes it the first major retailer to take advantage of a production-by-prescription program. In addition, February 2022 Stop & Shop worked with the National Grocers Association Foundation Technical Assistance Center to produce testimonials and informational videos to promote the concept of drug-as-food.
In September of this year, management consultancy Deloitte released a report on the health benefits of food, Fresh Foods as a Cure for Overpriced Heartburn. Of the 2,054 U.S. adults surveyed, 84% consider health and wellness as an important factor when purchasing fresh food, and approximately 75% actively pursue more personalized nutrition. says he wants it. And 55% pay extra for ‘right foods’ that improve health and wellness.
Many consumers also benefit from weight management (cited by 43%), managing existing medical conditions (32%), disease prevention (39%), boosting immunity (35%), and improving emotional/mental health. Seeking a particular benefit in food, such as improvement. (34%) and improved cognitive performance (21%).
Kroger Co. also offers a “food as medicine” platform through its Kroger Health division. Last April, the retailer announced a study funded by Kroger Health and conducted in collaboration with the University of Cincinnati (Supermarkets and his Web-Based Intervention in Nutrition (SuperWIN)). cardiovascular risk.
