Associated Wholesale Grocers Adding Nutrition Keys on Private Label Food Products

Associated Wholesale Grocers, distributor of the private-label products  Best Choice and Always Save, is embracing the voluntary move in conjunction with the Food Marketing Institute and the Grocery Manufacturers Association to modify food product labeling as a way to join first lady Michelle Obama's fight against childhood obesity. Nutritional information will soon be found on the front of the package and easily spotted.

"Even though the label modification is strictly voluntary, we believe it is an important and essential step in helping consumers make healthy choices when making food purchases," said Jerry Garland, Associated Wholesale Grocers President and C.E.O. "This service will help our members who sell Best Choice and Always Savealso demonstrate a commitment to their loyal customers that they too care about healthy lifestyles."

The front-of-pack labeling will include nutrition keys that summarize important information from the nutritional facts typically found on the back or side panel of the food product. The new, easy-to-read keys will include four icons with information on calories, saturated fat, sodium and sugars. Depending on the product and available space, it may include just the calorie icon.

"We are working with our design teams and well on our way to modifying the labels on the 3,000-some food products that we distribute," added Garland. "Certainly this doesn't happen overnight, but we expect to start rolling out the first of the front-of-pack labels in the next 160 days and then continue on for the next 12 months."