UNFI, GreenChoice Partner on Shelf Tags for Indies
United Natural Foods Inc. (UNFI) has teamed with food intelligence company GreenChoice, PBC to expand the latter’s offering of health-oriented shelf labels and shopping technology, giving independent retailers plug-and-play solutions to boost personalization and transparency at the shelf. GreenChoice’s shelf tags and white-label app allow retailers to help customers easily find foods that meet their health needs and lifestyle values.
“GreenChoice’s shelf labels not only help shoppers identify and access healthy food options, but they also help retailers increase sales and gain trust and loyalty from their shoppers,” noted Matt Eckhouse, president of UNFI Digital and Professional Services. "This is a great addition to our UNFI Digital and Professional Services offering, which helps grocery retailers differentiate their businesses and drive growth.”
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Under UNFI’s new program, retailers have an easy way to help shoppers search their assortments with shelf tags spotlighting key product features, in addition to GreenScores, an evidence-based rating system that simplifies healthy choices. The food GreenScore assesses and scores foods according to science-based industry standards for nutritional density, ingredient processing, ingredient safety and climate footprint. By scanning QR codes, shoppers can delve into a food’s GreenScore and receive personalized recommendations for healthy alternatives.
As well as on-the-shelf product information, GreenChoice offers grocers a white-label mobile web application that enables shoppers to scan foods and search a store’s inventory for products fitting their dietary and health requirements.
“Across the United States, shoppers increasingly demand product transparency and healthier options,” said Galen Karlan-Mason, CEO and founder of San Diego-based GreenChoice and a 2024 Progressive Grocer GenNext honoree. “This is a big opportunity for food retailers to help identify the foods that match shoppers’ health and sustainability needs, using a third party like GreenChoice. We’re excited for UNFI retail partners to tap into GreenChoice’s food assessment and shopping technology, which has proven to drive measurable sales lifts while improving shopper satisfaction.”
A grocery wholesaler delivering fresh, branded, and own-brand products to more than 30,000 locations throughout North America, including natural product superstores, independent retailers, conventional supermarket chains, e-commerce providers and foodservice customers, Providence, R.I.-based UNFI is No. 22 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2024 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. The company also provides a broad range of value-added services and segmented marketing expertise, including proprietary technology, data, market insights and shelf management.
