Retail grocer Meijer is increasing its discount on milk for SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) recipients to 40% off for any brand of fat-free or 1% milk, the company said in a press release.
The grocer said the decision to double the 20% discount, which was introduced in December, aims to “increase access to healthy foods and beverages.”
The company received grant funding for the so-called Add Milk initiative through Auburn University’s Hunger Solutions Institute and has provided the discount to more than 65,000 SNAP-eligible households.
“As a family-owned company, Meijer values its customers and their needs. That’s why we’re really happy to be collaborating with Auburn University to reduce the cost of milk for SNAP participants and help them get more value from their purchases,” Meijer Vice President of Grocery Calli Schmid said in the press release. “Milk is an excellent source of vitamins and minerals, and with this increased discount, we’re able to stretch our customers’ dollars even further.”
Meijer noted that it is the “largest and only retailer in the Midwest” to participate in the program, which is part of the Healthy Fluid Milk Incentives project established in the 2018 Farm Bill, which will remain in effect until the fall of 2026.
Meijer also is offering free home delivery and a 10% discount on SNAP-eligible fruit and vegetable purchases for SNAP recipients. In June, the grocery retailer began accepting SNAP benefits through its mobile app.
“By self-funding a fruit and vegetable incentive program for SNAP customers and waiving delivery fees for online SNAP customers, Meijer is a committed leader in addressing food and nutrition security,” Alicia Powers, managing director of Auburn University’s Hunger Solutions Institute, said in the press release. “Through Add Milk, which provides a 40 percent discount on skim and 1 percent milk purchased with SNAP dollars, Meijer will expand its support of SNAP families in stretching their food dollars.”
