Health & Wellness

After hosting two Hiller’s Nut-Free Health Tours this summer where attendees scoped out nut-free foods and sought expert advice from allergy specialists, Hiller’s Markets realized the huge demand for nut-free living and has responded accordingly.

“Nut allergy reactions can be so serious and so frightening. We want to do everything we can to help our families – and the people who cook for them – find foods they like and can eat safely,” said Jim Hiller, CEO of Michigan-based Hiller’s Markets. “We are nuts about our customers, and that is why we are expanding our nut-free sections.”

Now Hiller’s shoppers will be able to find an array of nut-free items on designated end-caps in its Commerce Township and Union Lake stores, which are serving as test locations for the nut-free zones. Plans are under way for a nut-free end-cap in Ann Arbor by the end of the month, while Hiller’s expects to implement one in its Plymouth store in the near future.

Some featured products will include SunButter, Hershey Milk Chocolate Chips, Cherrybrook Kitchen Baking Mixes, Dare Triple Ginger Cookies and Dare Chocolate Whippets, Ortega Taco Dinner Kit, Ritz Crackerfuls, Quaker Rocky Road Chewy Granola Bars, Lipton Kosher Onion Soup Mix, Lorna Doon Crisps, Sensible Foods Fruit Snacks and Roselli’s Spaghetti Meat Sauce.

Dr. Michael Hepner, an allergy specialist in West Bloomfield who lent expert medical advice at one of the Nut-Free Health Tours in August, said the new shelf-space would provide enormous peace of mind. “Hiller’s new nut-free food section will help parents and individuals to simplify their shopping for safe and healthy peanut and nut-free foods. Searching some supermarkets for allergy-safe foods can be a time-consuming challenge,” Hepner said. “Thanks to Hiller’s commitment, shopping for youngsters, classrooms, or parties that need to be nut-free, will be much easier and safer.”

Founded in 1941, Hiller’s Markets are located in Ann Arbor, Berkley, Commerce Township, Northville, Plymouth, Union Lake and West Bloomfield, Mich.