350 RETAILERS TO HELP ROOT FOR NATIONAL ORGANIC EVENT

NANCY BRUMBACK

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FNS) -- The Organic Alliance here is launching its first national organic-food promotion, with participation from about 350 retailers in a number of geographical markets.

The "Organic Food Celebration" will be held in September at stores operated by eight chains. It will feature certified organic products from 20 to 25 companies, including 16 or 17 in the packaged-grocery category, according to Angela Sterns, marketing director for the alliance.

The chains participating in this promotion are Food Emporium, Bronx, N.Y.; H.E. Butt Grocery Co., Austin, Texas; King Soopers, Denver; Lund Foods and Byerly's, Edina, Minn.; Pratt Food Stores, Shawnee, Okla.; Publix Super Markets, Lakeland, Fla.; Star Markets, Cambridge, Mass.; and Wegmans Food Markets, Rochester, N.Y.

Originally, the event was scheduled as a week-long promotion, "but the retailers are so enthusiastic that some are extending it up to the entire month" and others plan two-week promotions, said Barbara Duff, director of public relations for the alliance, a nonprofit marketing group.

The featured products will have to contain at least 95% certified organic ingredients, noted Sterns.

Two major food manufacturers will have products included in the promotion -- General Mills with its Sunrise cereal and Chiquita with its line of Green Valley organic vegetables. Some of the smaller organic producers who have signed on include Seeds of Change, Spectrum Naturals, Country Choice Naturals, Nature's Path Foods, Shari Ann's Organics, Hearty & Natural Products and Woodstock Organics.

All departments and categories in the store will take part in the celebration, the alliance said, including grocery, frozens, produce, dairy, meat, snacks and sweets. The promotion, held during the national Organic Harvest Month campaign, was available to retailers on a geographically exclusive basis.

The Organic Alliance is furnishing a training video and other materials for store employees, along with point-of-purchase material.