BOISE, Idaho--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In support of the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health, Albertsons Companies, Inc. (NYSE: ACI) announced today that it will contribute new goals and initiatives designed to help break the cycle of hunger and empower nutrition and health through technology and information.
“At Albertsons Companies, our purpose is to bring people together around the joys of food and to inspire well-being. A part of that promise is improving food access while providing tools that integrate nutrition and health information across our grocery stores and digital platforms,” said Vivek Sankaran, CEO of Albertsons Cos. “We are proud to announce these commitments, which complement our Recipe for Change ESG platform and reflect our deep roots serving communities across America.”
Addressing Hunger with Nourishing Neighbors
Nourishing Neighbors, a program of Albertsons Companies Foundation, seeks to ensure at-risk youth, adults, seniors and families have access to the food they need to lead healthier and more enriching lives. Through Nourishing Neighbors, more than $200 million has been donated to hunger relief organizations since 2011 and the company has pledged the following commitments to reduce food insecurity:
- Enable the donation of over 100 million meals in 2023 and 1 billion meals by 2030. As part of this commitment, Albertsons Cos. and its Foundation are working to champion innovative programs and partnerships to help break the cycle of hunger while also leading and exploring ways to increase fresh produce and nutritious foods in local area food banks.
- Help 50,000 eligible neighbors enroll in SNAP and WIC benefits in 2023. In addition to offering online SNAP access and educational information in stores, Nourishing Neighbors will provide grants to local food banks, soup kitchens and community organizations so they can conduct outreach and provide SNAP and WIC enrollment support for neighbors in need.
Empowering Nutrition and Health through Technology and Information
With millions of households shopping Albertsons Cos. stores, banner websites and apps on a weekly basis, the company has a unique opportunity to leverage various touchpoints to inform and inspire customers with actionable nutrition information and nutritious meal solutions.
This includes a meal planning tool that currently offers 1,400 shoppable recipes, making it easy to plan, purchase and prepare delicious, nutritious meals while encouraging customers to increase their consumption of fruits, vegetables and whole grains or meet other balanced diet objectives.
As part of the company’s commitment to inspiring better eating, it has made the following commitments:
- Provide 50 million evidence-based nutrition recommendations to digital customers by 2024 to help them make healthier choices while shopping with Albertsons Cos. banner stores.
- Launch six health campaigns by 2025 utilizing in-store events and digital platforms to increase awareness of MyPlate Dietary Guidelines, established by the USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion.
- Provide 100 million customers access to recipe and meal planning tools by 2025, empowering them to easily select, cook and enjoy meals that match their taste, budget and dietary needs.
- Introduce 1,000 new nutritious and approachable recipes, and further enhance tools to help make healthier living an easy and sustainable choice.
- Expand the availability of ReadyMeals from 600 to 1,100 stores by the end of the fiscal year. ReadyMeals offer nutritious meals designed by culinary experts and dieticians made fresh in-store every day.
“Albertsons Companies is a grocery hub for thousands of communities, providing access to food, medications and care. These initiatives further highlight our commitment to building a deeper connection between food and well-being,” said Omer Gajial, Chief Digital Officer and EVP Health at Albertsons Cos. “As a company, we continue to challenge ourselves to provide simple, actionable solutions, helping our customers and communities to meet their nutritional needs and health goals.”
For more information on Recipe for Change and Nourishing Neighbors, click here.
About Albertsons Companies
Albertsons Companies is a leading food and drug retailer in the United States. As of June 18, 2022, the Company operated 2,273 retail food and drug stores with 1,720 pharmacies, 402 associated fuel centers, 22 dedicated distribution centers and 19 manufacturing facilities. The Company operates stores across 34 states and the District of Columbia with 24 banners including Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Shaw's, Acme, Tom Thumb, Randalls, United Supermarkets, Pavilions, Star Market, Haggen, Carrs, Kings Food Markets and Balducci's Food Lovers Market. The Company is committed to helping people across the country live better lives by making a meaningful difference, neighborhood by neighborhood. In 2021, along with the Albertsons Companies Foundation, the Company contributed nearly $200 million in food and financial support, including approximately $40 million through our Nourishing Neighbors Program to ensure those living in our communities have enough to eat.
