Raley's: A Class Act for Health Education

LIZ PARKS

Every now and then a retailer finds a creative way to market its stores and provide a community service at the same time.

That's now the case with West Sacramento, Calif.-based Raley's, which operates 129 units in Northern California and Nevada under four banners: Raley's Supermarkets, Bel Air Markets, Nob Hill Foods and Food Source.

Recognizing that diabetes affects 21 million people in the United States and that up to 10% of the nation's population lives in California, Raley's teamed up with Callaway Consumer Products in Scottsdale, Ariz., makers of Organic Bistro Whole Life Meals, to teach people how to be proactive in making healthful lifestyle choices.

In conjunction with Organic Bistro, Raley's is providing free classes, resources and healthful products for people living with diabetes.

“With so many nutritious offerings in our natural foods and fresh produce departments, we wanted to provide customers fighting diabetes with resources and realistic meal solutions, so that achieving a healthy lifestyle is convenient for our customers,” said Raley's corporate dietitian, Earline Griffith.

The classes and store tours specific to the needs of diabetic customers launched in March and will be ongoing as part of an enhanced customer service effort.

Organic Bistro Meals, which were developed by a registered dietitian, gourmet chef and naturopathic physician, are based on the glycemic index and the glycemic load, each of which is a measure of how quickly foods are turned into sugar. Raley's is considering doing similar educational programs in the future for others who need to eat low-glycemic foods.

Raley's is promoting its services to diabetics with in-store food samplings, temporary price reductions, coupons and literature that helps people learn more about type 2 diabetes, as well as how diet and nutrition can be used to help control the disease.