IGA Launches IGA Better Choices Health-and-Wellness Program

    CHICAGO, IL, June 26, 2015 /24-7PressRelease/ -- IGA today announced the launch of IGA Better Choices, a new health-and-wellness program designed to provide IGA shoppers with information to make informed and balanced decisions about their health-and-wellness needs, and IGA retailers with insights into topics within the ever-evolving health-and-wellness space.

The Better Choices program, which includes informational components for both IGA shoppers and IGA retailers, is being developed in conjunction with IGA Health & Wellness Advisor and Registered Dietitian Kim Kirchherr, MS, RDN, LDN, CDE, FAND.

The center of the program is the consumer-facing igabetterchoices.com microsite. The microsite, which is accessible from the IGA.com consumer website, features health-and-wellness information about a variety of topics, including planning and shopping, wellness, food safety, and recipes and how to's. In addition to health-and-wellness tips from Kirchherr, visitors to the site have access to a variety of tools and information from respected and reliable sources such as the USDA, FDA and CDC and food commodities agencies. Also available are recipes, games and downloads for kids, and seasonal or themed consumer sweepstakes that highlight food choices, or information on the different food groups from month-to-month--like the current sweepstakes for June Dairy Month where shoppers can test their dairy knowledge to win dairy coupons redeemable at their local IGA.

IGA retailers will be provided with in-store resources--printable signage, ad drop-ins, digital graphics, bag stuffers and customizable press releases for their local media--to promote the microsite and its resources to shoppers. Additionally, IGA retailers participating in the IGALink website program will automatically feature the microsite on their individual store websites.

Kirchherr is also acting as an informational resource for IGA retailers, providing insights into topics within the ever-changing health-and-wellness space. IGA retailers are being encouraged to reach out to her with health-and-wellness questions in an "Ask Kim" format; she is a speaker at IGA events and meetings; and is a regular health-and-wellness contributor to IGA's daily newsletter, The Independent View.

According to IGA CEO Mark Batenic, IGA's movement into health and wellness is multi-purpose. "Today's consumers have an expectation that retailers can and should support their health-and-wellness goals, however those goals are defined. As the 'Hometown Proud' independent business leaders in IGA communities across this country, IGA retailers don't take that responsibility lightly. With this new program spearheaded by IGA Health & Wellness Advisor and Registered Dietitian Kim Kirchherr, we're providing information and resources that help shoppers make better choices that are right for them. And in the process of helping to meet our customers' health-and-wellness needs, we're creating a more relevant IGA brand overall that will put all of our IGA independent retailers in a position to increase shopper engagement, and consequently, sales."

Kirchherr, who guided the program development, and will continue to provide health-and-wellness information to IGA retailers, employees and IGA shoppers through her input in the evolution of IGA Better Choices, is a valuable asset to the program, says Batenic.

"Kim is well-known throughout the industry for practicing a knowledgeable and balanced approach to health and wellness, and that is exactly the kind of simple and sustainable model that we were looking to convey to our shoppers," Batenic says.

"Health and wellness is a personal journey, which means it's different for everyone." Kirchherr says. "We believe that this practical approach to information sharing through the igabetterchoices.com microsite will resonate with all of our customers, no matter where they are along their health-and-wellness journey. That's really our goal: to provide the tools and information so that we're making it easier and more fun for our shoppers to make better choices along the way."

Batenic says IGA's move into health and wellness began when IGA was asked to represent independent retailers around the globe on a committee to oversee development of health-and-wellness guidelines for the grocery industry as a whole at The Consumer Goods Forum (the CGF), a global industry network of retailers, manufacturers and service providers who work together to bring about positive change in the industry. Batenic has been active within the CGF on behalf of IGA for many years and currently serves on the CGF Board of Directors, and Kirchherr now represents IGA on the CGF Health & Wellness Steering Committee.

About Kim Kirchherr
IGA Health & Wellness Advisor Kim Kirchherr, MS, RDN, LDN, CDE, FAND, (@KimKirchherr) is a Registered Dietitian and the Vice President of National Dairy Council. Kirchherr has over 18 years' experience as a registered dietitian including outpatient (hospital) and retail settings. She has created countless nutrition education materials, delivered hundreds of presentations, and has made regular appearances educating the public in national, Midwestern, and Chicago media including TV, radio, and newspaper interviews as well as social media platforms.

As a member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly American Dietetic Association), Kim is currently Chair of the new Agriculture Subgroup of the Food and Culinary Professionals Dietetic Practice Group (FCP DPG), Past President of Illinois Dietetic Association (now Illinois Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics), past Supermarket Subgroup Chair of the FCP DPG, and Past President of the North Suburban Dietetic Association.

About The Consumer Goods Forum
The Consumer Goods Forum (the "CGF") is a global, parity-based industry network that is driven by its members. It brings together the CEOs and senior management of some 400 retailers, manufacturers, service providers, and other stakeholders across 70 countries, and it reflects the diversity of the industry in geography, size, product category and format. Its member companies have combined sales of EUR 2.5 trillion and directly employ nearly 10 million people, with a further 90 million related jobs estimated along the value chain. It is governed by its Board of Directors, which comprises 50 manufacturer and retailer CEOs.

The CGF's mission is, "Bringing together consumer goods manufacturers and retailers in pursuit of business practices for efficiency and positive change across our industry benefiting shoppers, consumers and the world without impeding competition". It provides a unique global platform for the development of global industry processes and standards as well as sharing best practices. Its activities are organised around the following strategic priorities: Sustainability, Product Safety, Health & Wellness, and End-to-End Value Chain & Standards, each of which is central to better serving consumers.

The CGF's success is driven by the active participation of its members who together develop and lead the implementation of best practices along the value chain. With its headquarters in Paris and its regional offices in Washington, D.C. and Tokyo, the CGF serves its members throughout the world.

About IGA
IGA is the world's largest voluntary supermarket network with aggregate worldwide retail sales of more than $36 billion per year. The Alliance includes nearly 5,000 Hometown Proud Supermarkets worldwide, supported by 29 distribution centers and more than 30 major manufacturers, vendors and suppliers encompassing everything from grocery to equipment items. IGA has stores in 45 of the United States and more than 30 countries, commonwealths and territories. For more information about IGA, visit the IGA consumer website at www.iga.com, or the business site at www.becomeiga.com.

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