HowGood Expands Partnership With Giant Food

HowGood, an independent research organization, has expanded its relationship with Giant Food of Landover, Md. The relationship, which started as a test pilot in Giant stores in the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan area, will now be expanded to all Giant stores due to positive customer feedback on the program. HowGood’s simple, accessible rating system will reach even more Giant customers, making it easier for them to identify authentic brands they can trust, and in turn, support an overall better food system.

Over the past ten years, HowGood has developed a database of sustainable food ratings, including an in-store rating system that identifies industry leaders in the food system. HowGood researches the goodness of food products based on multiple metrics, and highlights those ratings for consumers at the point of purchase. With a research process that examines factors ranging from ingredient sourcing to labor practices, the organization has rated over 250,000 products.

“With so many buzzwords, many more marketing than informative, it’s exceedingly difficult for shoppers to quickly assess labels and packaging to determine whether a product fits their standards,” said Mark Adamcik, VP of sales and merchandising, Giant Food. “The test pilot was so successful, and we got such amazing feedback from our customers, that the decision to expand the ratings into all of our Giant stores was an easy one.”

Giant stores will support the HowGood program with in-store communication so their customers can better understand and use the program, including signage as you enter the store, education at shelf, trained employees to answer questions, and in-store consumer events to engage shoppers and educate them on the HowGood ratings.

“Our customers appreciate the simplicity of the ‘Good, Great, Best’ rating system, which helps them feel good about what goes into their shopping cart,” continued Adamcik. “In fact, nearly 90 percent of shoppers surveyed during the pilot program confirmed that they would be likely to use the rating system to choose sustainable products.”

“Giant has been phenomenal to work with because of their commitment to helping consumers make informed decisions on the food they purchase,” said Alexander Gillett, CEO of HowGood. “With the store expansion, we continue to get closer to our goal of building a better food system here in the United States.”

A division of Ahold Delhaize, the Landover, Md.-based Giant Food LLC, headquartered in Landover, Md., operates 167 supermarkets in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and the District of Columbia, and employs approximately 20,000 associates. Included within the 167 stores are 157 full-service pharmacies. Giant is owned by Ahold USA, Inc.