Ukrop’s Implements On-Pack Nutrition Labeling Program
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“When it comes to helping customers make smart decisions about what meat products to choose, the more information, the better.” That’s what Alan Warren, Director of Meat and Seafood for Ukrop’s, had to say when asked why Ukrop’s decided to implement a full On-Pack Nutrition Labeling program in all 28 of their stores. Ukrop’s launched the program in April in an effort to provide their customers with the information needed to make healthy purchasing decisions.
“The decision to implement the program was a no-brainer,” added Warren, noting that many Ukrop’s customers have asked for fresh meat nutritional information. Another factor in the decision was the knowledge that customer satisfaction leads to increased sales; Warren sited other retailers such as Marsh and Harris Teeter who have seen significant beef sales increases since implementing their own On-Pack Nutrition Labeling programs.
To spread the word about the program, Ukrop’s has used a variety of point-of-sale materials, including posters, iron man signs with toppers, case cards and ceiling banners.
The posters serve to introduce the On-Pack Nutrition Labeling program to customers with an announcement that nutritional information can now be found on every package. That message is supplemented with health claims indicating that beef is an excellent source of protein and zinc as well as a good source of iron and B-vitamins. There is also information about the health benefits of those nutrients. The poster also shows an image of the new labels and highlights where specific information is located on the label.
The iron man signs, case cards and ceiling banners helped to further educate Ukrop’s customers about the health benefits of beef with messages including: |
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- Beef is an excellent source of protein to help your body build lean muscles
- Beef is an excellent source of zinc to help your body fight colds and flu
- Beef is a good source of iron to help give you energy for daily activities
- Beef is a good source of B-vitamins to help your body turn food into energy
To prepare for the launch of the new program, Ukrop’s meat department managers attended a training session conducted by the Virginia Beef Industry Council and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, funded by the beef checkoff. Managers were presented with a training manual that was reviewed during the session; the manual included key program talking points along with additional nutritional information.
Attendees were also provided with samples of the POS materials so that they could familiarize themselves with the program messages. The session concluded with a question and answer session in which meat managers had the opportunity to ask questions about how the new On-Pack Nutrition Labeling program would be implemented.
The Ukrop’s program is still young, but Warren knows the decision to implement the program was a smart decision for his business. “We have had a lot of positive customer feedback,” he said. “They are glad we decided to offer this information on-pack.” |
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