MMR: Mass Market Retailers, July 13, 2020

NEWS Raleys Premieres O N E Market WEST SACRAMENTO Calif Raleys last month unveiled the latest iteration of its promise to change the way the world eats one plate at a time via the launch of the first Raleys O N E Market in the Northern California town of Truckee The market offers a curated selection of natural and organic food presented in a manner that encourages wholesome eating It has become increasingly clear that our customers want to know where their food comes from whats in it and how it may impact their overall health and wellness said Keith Knopf Raleys president and chief executive officer We are consistently listening and learning and thats led us to the next step in our companys transformation Raleys O N E Market Its a shopping destination that gives customers access to and information about thousands of products for healthier eating In addition to its wellspring of organics the 35000 square foot store features a meat department The market encourages wholesome eating through a curated selection with selections free from antibiotics and hormones 100 sustainable seafood and an abundance of freshly prepared food items available for dine in or takeaway The Raleys O N E Market Café features coffee from Stumptown Coffee Roasters specialty toasts and an organic juice bar serving fresh pressed beverages wellness shots smoothies and acai bowls Restaurant quality options include hearth baked pizza and sandwiches freshly prepared sushi made with 100 sustainable seafood and artisan Knopf Our customers want to know where their food comes from baked goods with clean ingredients The stores loft also includes a beer and wine bar offering local craft brews curated wines from Raleys Curtis Mann and chef created bar bites from Raleys manager of culinary innovations Evelyn Miliate The store is the first to offer Raleys Something Extra Health program a new element of the companys loyalty program designed to help interested customers on their personal wellness journeys In store tours and classes personalized nutrition counseling and supplement recommendations are presented by a full time nutrition advisor and registered dietitian and are guided by Yvette Waters who holds the title of nutrition strategist and brand influencer at Raleys Raleys operates 128 stores in Northern California and Nevada under the Raleys Bel Air Nob Hill and other banners Knopf noted that the O N E concept reflects the vision of Raleys majority owner Michael Teel the grandson of Tom Raley who founded the company in 1935 and operated his first store in Placerville Calif a town in the Sierra Nevada foothills that got its start during the California Gold Rush Over the past five years management has been implementing Teels vision which calls for infusing life with health and happiness by changing the way the world eats one plate at a time Earlier moves included the elimination of private label sugarsweetened sodas the removal of tobacco products the sourcing of 100 sustainable fresh seafood the inauguration of Better For You check stands and the rollout of Raleys Shelf Guide a tagging system designed to go above and beyond typical organic or non GMO attributes to include criteria for sodium sugar and fiber content by food category Florida Gets Fifth GreenWise Market LAKELAND Fla Publix Super Markets opened its fifth GreenWise Market location in Florida last month in Nocatee Ponte Vedra which is just south of Jacksonville GreenWise Market according to Publix president Kevin Murphy is a place to find great food in a relaxed environment Its a place where customers can connect with other food lovers explore exciting new flavors and find unique products that support their individual needs Murphy says GreenWise Market features natural and organic items for foodies and health conscious shoppers alike and offers customers a wide assortment of prepared food items with stations for gourmet pizzas burrito bowls and wraps all made with organic meats and cheeses The various stations also include options for vegan customers In addition the store offers several in house made specialties including organic smoked meats organic sausages and gourmet popcorn The stores are divided into different experience zones The CARES zone features vitamins nutritional supplements natural soaps and shampoos The CUTS zone provides customers with a choice of meats raised free of antibiotics and with no added hormones This zone also offers sustainably sourced seafood The EATS zone features made to order meals and grab and go food such as handcrafted gourmet sandwiches and pasta bowls To complement these foods choices the market offers a menu of beverages in the FINDS zone which features a curated selection of wines as well as imported cheeses And in the POURS zone customers can choose from an array of beer on tap and locally roasted coffee But more than just showcasing unique local products each GreenWise Market features a mural created by a local artist The Nocatee GreenWise Market is home to a still life by Shawn Meharg This painting shows ingredients and kitchen tools on a counter as if a chef has paused in the middle of preparing a meal The Nocatee Ponte Vedra store is the first GreenWise Market in the north Florida region and the fifth in the state The 25147 square foot locations debut came on the heels of the first GreenWise Market store in Georgia as well as one in Odessa Fla The GreenWise Market banner now totals nine stores FDA Authorizes Kroger Home Test Kit for Virus CINCINNATI Kroger Co this month said that the Food and Drug Administration had authorized use of its COVID 19 Test Home Collection Kit which includes a nasal swab transport vial instruction sheet prepaid shipping label and packing materials for return shipment of the sample to a laboratory The testing solution combines the safety and convenience of athome sample collection with the expert guidance of a telehealth consultation to help improve the quality of the collection process the company said in a statement The kits were initially made available to frontline associates at Krogers stores based on medical need Kroger said that its health care unit Kroger Health intended to rapidly expand the kits availability to other companies and organizations Kroger was hoping that up to 60000 tests would be processed each week by July 31 Throughout the COVID 19 pandemic the safety of our associates and our customers has remained our top priority said Colleen Lindholz president of Kroger Health Kroger Heath remains committed to helping people live healthier lives through our multidisciplinary team of licensed trained and experienced health care providers Over the past few months Kroger Health has been providing Americans with access to COVID 19 testing through community test sites across the country however weve observed some individuals do not have access to transportation or live near these community testing locations To help ease this burden and provide greater accessibility we will be offering a home testing solution to our associates first followed by other companies and organizations Associates get first access to COVID 19 kits Kroger said the kits are available at no cost to individuals who meet established clinical criteria for likely COVID 19 infection or exposure The individuals will be provided access to a website where they will answer screening questions input appropriate benefits information and complete a clinical assessment Home collection kits will be shipped to qualifying individuals within 24 to 48 hours At the laboratory the collection undergoes a molecular diagnostic test designed to detect parts of the SARS CoV 2 virus and can diagnose active infections 8 MMR July 13 2020