COMMUNITY OUTREACH: Hy-Vee

ROBERT VOSBURGH

Hy-Vee gives consumers a run for their money, no matter what shape they're in. For those who are fit, there's the Hy-Vee Triathlon. Now in its second year, the race is a serious event and gained further credibility when it was selected this year as a qualifying event for the Beijing Summer Olympics.

While the triathlon might capture most of the headlines, it's in working with average consumers that the retailer excels. Hy-Vee operates more than 200 stores throughout the Midwest, and has roughly 100 registered dietitians working in those stores. Such a high ratio has allowed the food retailer to launch programs rarely seen in the industry.

This past March, Hy-Vee introduced “Begin,” a new weight-management program that includes nutritional counseling, workouts and even $10 Hy-Vee gift cards for those who meet their goals. The dietitians conduct the 10-week course, which helps clients identify healthful foods, regulate food intake and develop a fitness routine. Begin is available in 110 Hy-Vee stores that have a dietitian, and chain officials have said this presence is what separates Begin from national weight-loss programs like Weight Watchers or Jenny Craig.

Begin is offered four times a year, with weekly one-hour meetings covering portion control, emotions and eating, reading food labels, eating right and physical fitness. Clients weigh in each week and keep food and exercise logs when they are at home. Through Begin, Hy-Vee stores have become a key participant, as the dietitians use products right from Hy-Vee's shelves to prepare healthful recipes in the classes.

“The supermarket is basically our pantry,” said Megan Dalsing, one of Hy-Vee's registered dietitians.