Stater Bros. launches ‘Healthy Selections’ program

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. —The Stater Bros. supermarket chain hopes to help customers lead a healthier lifestyle with its new ‘Healthy Selections’ dietitian program that will educate shoppers with in-store signage and frequent seminars.

The new program encourages healthy eating and small lifestyle changes to lead a healthier life, and will be headed by registered dietician Melissa Hooper. The program will include in-store messaging to highlight healthy products, monthly ads in Stater Bros. circulars, nutrition seminars and store tours.

“Stater Bros. is pleased to introduce this new program, which will help our customers make healthier food choices and improve their health,” said chief executive officer Jack Brown. “We’re also pleased to have Melissa on board to help us implement this new program.”

Hooper specializes in nutrition communication and behavior modification, and she most recently won the 2007 “Emerging Dietetic Leader” award from the Kansas City District Dietetic Association.

The 164-store Stater Bros. chain also is rolling out its new “Blue Ribbon Supermarkets” in Southern California and opened its newest store in September in Palm Desert.

Blue Ribbon stores feature a Super RX Pharmacy, an expanded selection of deli offerings and sandwiches and a “Garden Fresh” produce department with a wider selection of organic products. The new stores also are going green, and are outfitted with skylights to reduce the need for daytime lighting and energy-efficient refrigeration systems that reduce carbon dioxide emissions.