Food City Latest to Adopt NuVal

Food City will become the next grocery store chain to implement NuVal, the scientifically based system that enables consumers to determine the nutritional value of food items at a glance, according to  Steven C. Smith, CEO of the banner's parent company, K-VA-T,  in a local press report.

In addition to the Abingdon, Va.-based supermarket chain, other retail users of the system are Price Chopper, Hy-Vee, Meijer, Brookshire's Grocery Co., Big Y, Skogen’s Festival Foods and United Supermarkets, with more grocers on tap to join the roster this year.

A joint venture formed in 2008 by Skokie, Ill.-based Topco Associates LLC and Griffin Hospital in Derby, Conn., NuVal scores food on a scale of 1 to 100, taking into account more than 30 nutrients and evaluating the dietary importance of each to come up with an overall nutritional quality score. A high score denotes a high nutritional value. The scores are prominently displayed on shelf price tags, scale labels and other in-store signage bearing the trademark blue hexagon design.

In other NuVal news, the American Council on Exercise (ACE), the top U.S. authority on fitness and the largest fitness certification, education and training organization in the world, today, has formed an alliance with the system. San Diego-based ACE and NuVal will work together to combat the growing obesity epidemic, encourage consumers to take small steps toward a healthier lifestyle, and provide the tools and education to improve quality of life. Starting in November, NuVal will offer webinars for ACE professionals, offering details of the system that can be shared with consumers who want to find out more about better nutrition. The webinars will give credit hours to ACE professionals that count toward professional development.