Nutrition Rating System Helps Busy Shoppers Easily Identify Healthier Foods
Guiding Stars, the world’s first store-wide nutrition navigation system today announces a partnership with Edwards Family Shop ‘n Save located in Hampden, Unity and Dover-Foxcroft, ME, to launch the good-better-best nutrition rating system in the stores.
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.
“The Guiding Stars program was created based on consumer research that showed a desire to live a healthier lifestyle, and this program makes it simple for them to make more nutritious food choices,” said John Eldredge, director of brand & business development at Guiding Stars Licensing Company. “We are pleased to partner with Edwards Family Shop ‘n Save and be part of their commitment to offer shoppers 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 to make it easier for our customers to identify nutritious choices,” said Dana Edwards, owner of Edwards Family Shop ‘n Save. “We feel the Guiding Stars program will help make shopping for healthy foods easy, practical and fun.”
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 has also recently launched the first nutrition navigation system in a public school in MSAD 75 in Topsham, Maine, and Bates College in Lewiston, Maine in April.
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 up and down the East Coast including 1,177 Food Lion Stores in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic, 167 Hannaford locations in the Northeast and 108 Sweetbay stores in central and western Florida. The program is supported by a 15-person team with significant licensing, marketing, food retail, IT and customer service experience.
About Edwards Family Shop ‘n Save
Dana Edwards has been in the grocery business for 42 years. In January, 2005 he purchased the Dover-Foxcroft and Hampden store locations. On June 1, 2008 he purchased McCormicks I.G.A. in Unity and converted it to Shop ‘N Save. For the Edwards, the Shop ‘n Save is a family affair. Following the purchase of his first two stores, Dana’s wife Leslie began working with him doing payroll and insurance administration. His sons Jason and Jeremy also joined the family business. Dana’s sister Karen, daughter in law Amy, niece Amy and nephew Aaron, as well as around 160 associates that work in the three stores, are all considered family.