Ahold USA to Offer Allergy-Free Halloween Treats

Ahold USA banners Stop & Shop, Giant Food and Giant/Martin’s are the exclusive grocery partner on the East Coast of the Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) Teal Pumpkin Project to help raise shopper awareness of food allergies and provide safe choices for kids at Halloween.

Customers will find special Teal Pumpkin Project sections at all participating Ahold USA banner store locations, where they’ll be able to buy allergy-friendly nonfood items such as glow sticks, in addition to the teal pumpkin baskets that can placed in front of a home to show that it has safe nonfood treats for children with food allergies.

“Today, one in 13 children in the U.S. has a food allergy, so offering a resource like this is important to Ahold USA and our brands as we strive to be a trusted resource in the communities we serve,” says Don Sussman, EVP of merchandising at Carlisle, Pa.-based Ahold USA, citing a FARE statistic. “By partnering with FARE and the Teal Pumpkin Project, we’re making it easy for shoppers to buy allergy-aware items for their homes this Halloween season and ensure everyone can have a safe Halloween.”

“Launching the Teal Pumpkin program was a way for us to make sure all children feel included during Halloween,” noted Lois A. Witkop, chief advancement officer at McLean, Va.-based FARE. “It really puts parents’ minds at ease when they see the teal pumpkins around their neighborhood. We’re so pleased to partner with Ahold USA and its brands, which recognize the importance of inclusion during Halloween, which can be challenging for so many families.”

A company of Zandaam, Netherlands-based Ahold Delhaize, Ahold USA supports four regional divisions – Stop & Shop New England, Stop & Shop New York Metro, Giant Landover, and Giant Carlisle – that together operate about 780 supermarkets with 115,000 associates in 14 states and the District of Columbia, along with online grocer Peapod.