Guiding Stars® Announces Partnership with Bristol Shop ‘n Save to Launch In-Store Nutrition Rating System

Nutrition Navigation System Helps Busy Shoppers Easily Identify Healthier Foods

Guiding Stars, the world’s first store-wide nutrition navigation system, today announces a partnership with Bristol Shop ‘n Save in Bristol, New Hampshire, to launch the good-better-best nutrition rating system in the store.

With Guiding Stars, each item throughout the grocery store receives a zero-to-three star rating according to its nutritional value, offering busy shoppers a simple, at-a-glance tool that helps them quickly identify foods that offer the most nutrition for the calories.

“Guiding Stars leads the way in helping consumers make healthy food choices,” said Misty Smalley, Client Services Manager at Guiding Stars Licensing Company. “We are pleased to partner with Bristol Shop ‘n Save and be a part of its commitment to providing its customers a healthy shopping experience.”

Guiding Stars utilizes a proprietary algorithm that is grounded in evidence-based science and the most current guidelines and recommendations of leading national and international health organizations, such as the FDA and USDA. The system credits all edible foods based on the presence of vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber and whole grains, and debits for the presence of trans fat, saturated fats, cholesterol, added sugars and added sodium. Food items are then awarded zero, one, two or three stars – one star means good nutritional value; two stars, better nutritional value; and three stars, the best nutritional value.

“We are thrilled to partner with Guiding Stars and provide our community a nutrition navigation system that takes the guesswork out of nutritious shopping” said Greg Gorski, owner of Bristol Shop ‘n Save. “We pride ourselves on offering our customers a first-rate shopping experience and we chose Guiding Stars because we know it will impact the well-being of our customers and help them make healthier choices for their families.”

The Guiding Stars system was the first of its kind when implemented in select grocery stores in September 2006 in response to consumer demand for a simple, easy-to-understand tool for making good nutritional choices as they shop. The Guiding Stars program is now on shelf tags and signage in grocery stores throughout the Northeast, Southeast, Mid-Atlantic and Florida, and it has also recently launched the first nutrition navigation system in public schools and universities in MSAD 75 in Topsham, Maine, Bates College in Lewiston, Maine and the University of New Hampshire in Durham, New Hampshire.

About Guiding Stars Licensing Co.

Since 2006, Guiding Stars has been leading the way in helping consumers make nutritious choices by pioneering the first-ever storewide nutrition navigation system. The Guiding Stars program is a simple, easy-to-understand tool for making good nutritional choices and is designed to make a positive and lasting impact on public health. Guiding Stars Licensing Co., based in Scarborough, Maine, creates opportunities for supermarkets, manufacturers, food service providers and other organizations to license the program and make nutritious shopping simple throughout the United States. Guiding Stars is currently in more than 1,400 supermarkets in the East Coast including Food Lion, Hannaford and Sweetbay stores.

About Bristol Shop ‘n Save

Located just outside of downtown Bristol, New Hampshire, Bristol Shop ‘n Save (formerly Cricenti’s Market) is owned and operated by the Gorski family since August, 2005. At Bristol Shop ‘n Save, meeting customer needs is a priority and the store’s associates are the key to meeting those needs. The market prides itself on its partnership with the community including direct financial support for many local organizations and events, in-store fundraisers and associate participation and sponsorship in local activities, and donations to local shelters. Bristol Shop ‘n Save strives to offer the Greater Newfound community a first rate shopping experience by surpassing customer’s expectations every day. Bristol Shop ‘n Save employs about 60 people.