AWG Launches Produce for Kids Campaign

A year-long healthy eating-focused Produce for Kids campaign with Associated Wholesale Grocers’ (AWG) Springfield division is featuring in-store veggie-themed photo opportunities for families, registered dietitian tips for shoppers, and signage callouts near all 17 produce supplier partners’ products.

In addition, digital elements including a dedicated microsite, social media outreach, enewsletters and recipes featuring partner products will coincide with the in-store campaign.

The program will raise funds for Feeding America programs benefiting families and children within the footprint of AWG’s Missouri-based Springfield division. The campaign, which will run through the end of 2018, is supported by 17 participating fresh fruit and vegetable suppliers.

“After the success of our 2017 Produce for Kids campaign, we decided to make 2018 bigger and better with additional in-store signage and support of our produce supplier partners. This effort allows our retail members to encourage their shoppers to purchase more fruits and vegetables while giving back to their local community,” said Gary Townsley, produce operations and sales manager at AWG Springfield. “It is our mission to provide our retail members with the tools needed to offer a fresh and healthy experience to shoppers when visiting their produce departments. This campaign, along with several other in-store programs offering free fruit for kids, will help us build on that mission.”  

In-store displays and signage, featuring the Produce for Kids and Feeding America logos, will be displayed in all 272 AWG Springfield retail member produce departments through the end of 2018.

The signage will direct shoppers to www.produceforkids.com/kids, which features more than 400 registered dietitian-approved and family-tested recipes, meal-planning tools, grocery store-specific campaign details, and healthy tips from real parents. Additionally, shoppers will be encouraged to share their in-store photos taken at the “Turnip the Beet” character photo opp using the hashtag #produceforkids to win a grocery gift card.

“We are excited to enter into our second year partnering with AWG Springfield to educate families about the benefits of eating nutritious produce,” said John Shuman, president of Orlando, Fla.-based Produce for Kids. “We nearly doubled our produce partners participating in the program year over year and look forward to continuing to make an impact in the communities within the AWG Springfield footprint."

In addition, AWG’s Gulf Coast and Oklahoma divisions will launch month-long Produce for Kids campaigns later this spring.

Suppliers participating in the AWG Springfield Produce for Kids campaign include AMC North America, Eat Smart, Chelan Fresh, Cool Creations, Dole, Dandy, Green Giant Fresh, Melissa’s, Naturipe, Organicgirl, RPE Inc., Sage Fruit, Schmiedling Produce, Shuman Produce, Sunkist Growers Inc., the Little Potato Co., Pom Wonderful, Wonderful Halos, and Wonderful Pistachios and Almonds.

Kansas City, Kan.-based Associated Wholesale Grocers Inc. is the nation's largest cooperative food wholesaler to independently owned supermarkets, serving more than 3,800 locations in 30 states and from 11 full-line wholesale divisions. The AWG Springfield division serves more than 350 member retailer locations in Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas and Illinois.