ASHEVILLE, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Americans are eating their way to an early grave, plain and simple. According to the National Center for Health Statistics1, shockingly, life expectancy for Americans in 2015 declined for the first time in more than two decades. In response to the crisis, Earth Fare, America’s original healthy supermarket, announces store expansion, a retooled loyalty program, new exclusive brands, and a bold new message aimed at empowering Americans to take back their own health through their food choices.
Live Longer with Earth Fare™, a timely and provocative campaign message launching today, is the rallying cry for Americans to choose only the cleanest, healthiest foods; the kind that can be found at Earth Fare, more than any other supermarket in America. The company’s Food Philosophy forbids hundreds of harmful chemicals and ingredients from making their way onto their shelves and is among the strictest in America. The campaign makes the case that better food choices lead to a longer and healthier life2 and challenges other supermarkets to come clean.
Earth Fare’s decades-long commitment to providing its customers and communities with only the cleanest, most healthful food is a timely reminder of the importance of Clean Food in relation to the health challenges facing Americans today. As pioneers in healthy eating, the company took a stand for Clean Food starting in 1975, and then developed its unique Food Philosophy that ensures every item in the store is hand-selected to meet the highest quality standards in the industry. These standards are further enforced by the company’s pioneering Boot List, which bans hundreds of harmful chemicals and ingredients from the items it carries.
“If the Food Philosophy and Boot List are our constitution, then our more than 2,800 Earth Fare Team Members comprise our enforcement agency, constantly monitoring and filtering ingredients to ensure customers find only the cleanest foods in our stores,” said Frank Scorpiniti, Earth Fare’s President and CEO. “We believe, and science supports us, that the better you eat the healthier, happier and longer life you can live. Today we are dedicating ourselves to shouting louder as advocates for healthy food and the power it has on our health and our lives.”
Earth Fare’s unwavering commitment to provide 100 percent Clean Food is even more important today given the recent rise in health concerns affecting many Americans. By banning harmful ingredients, such as high fructose corn syrup which has been linked to obesity; as well as artificial colors, artificial preservatives, artificial fats, trans-fats, bleached or bromated flour, added hormones, antibiotics; and having the highest percentage of fresh organic produce on offer than any other supermarket, the company has made it easy for customers to shop confidently for healthier options. In fact, the company’s restrictive standards for Clean Food makes it possible to shop blindfolded, as seen in Earth Fare’s latest television ad.
“Our Boot List represents the highest level of commitment to offer the cleanest selection of food for our customers,” said Justin Jackson, Earth Fare’s Chief Merchandising Officer. “Our entire team takes great pride in reading the labels so you don’t have to, because at the end of the day it’s about much more than selling groceries – it’s about living longer and making it easier to do so.”
To further support the connection between healthy food and healthy lives, and to accelerate its drive to make a real difference, Earth Fare is embarking on a significant store growth plan in new and existing markets; introducing dozens of new and exclusive private brand items; relaunching their website with even more healthy living resources—including a new eight week series with wellness videos and recipes that makes the transition to a healthier lifestyle easier; and, launching their new loyalty program called Healthy Rewards™, to reflect a substantially improved value proposition and easier customer experience.
Further, in an unprecedented move, the company is sharing the details of its Boot List with its competitors. “We have 40 years’ experience with what NOT to sell, and in the interest of the health and wellbeing of Americans we are willing to share our common-sense criteria and the lessons we have learned with other supermarket leaders. Whether you are a conventional supermarket or one of the so called ‘fresh and healthy’ new entrants to the market, this is where our industry needs to get to, the sooner the better” said Scorpiniti. “My team and I will catch the next flight to meet with any management team if it will help our competitors come clean.”
Learn more about Earth Fare’s unique approach to living longer at EarthFare.com/LiveLonger or follow along on Facebook and Instagram.
ABOUT EARTH FARE
Founded in 1975 in Asheville, North Carolina, Earth Fare is the first and most authentic organic and natural healthy supermarket with 39 stores across the Southeast, mid-Atlantic and Midwest. Their full-service philosophy incorporates the highest food Quality Standards in the industry with compelling value, friendly and knowledgeable service, and a superior shopping experience. Live Longer with Earth Fare™.
1 Bernstein, L. (2016, December 8). U.S. Life Expectancy Declines for the First Time Since 1993. The Washington Post. Retrieved from http://wapo.st/2h7IyaW?tid=ss_mail
2 Ford ES, Bergmann MM, Boeing H, Li C, Capewell S. (2012, July). Division of Population Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Healthy lifestyle behaviors and all-cause mortality among adults in the United States. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22564893
