NACS, PMA to Help Grow Produce Sales at Convenience Stores

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – This week NACS announced a new collaboration with the Produce Marketing Association (PMA), through the eat brighter!™ program, that allows participating NACS retailer and supplier members to use Sesame Street character images to promote fruit and vegetable sales.

“This program could yield enormous benefits for convenience stores and their suppliers. Our own consumer data show that 60% of consumers are more likely to make purchases of snacks that are supported by credible health and nutrition groups. And Sesame Street, which celebrates its 50^th anniversary in 2019 through a variety of high-profile events, is one of the most recognized and respected brands in the world,” said NACS Vice President of Strategic Industry Initiatives Jeff Lenard.

eat brighter! is a partnership among PMA, Sesame Workshop and the Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) that allows suppliers, distributors and retailers to promote fresh fruits and vegetables with the help of popular Sesame Street character images like Big Bird and Elmo. NACS retailer or supplier members can now pay a one-time administrative fee to gain access to royalty-free images for use on fresh fruit and vegetable packaging and marketing materials.  PMA has recently announced a similar collaboration with the National Grocers Association (NGA), expanding the number of retailers with access to this consumer-facing marketing opportunity. 

The eat brighter! program has been available for industry use since March 2014 and has demonstrated a proven track record for success. Research shows that Sesame Street not only is a highly trusted brand with more than six million viewers each week, it also is a brand that drives consumption of fruits and vegetables. One study showed that children eat 31% more fruits and vegetables when promoted by a Sesame Street character, and suppliers who have utilized the eat brighter! materials report produce sales increased 5.3%.

NACS research shows that consumers want to see more healthy choices in convenience stores. Having quality food options is especially important to consumers ages 18-34, and they are the parents of kids in the eat brighter! target age range of 2-5 years old.

“We are thrilled to be collaborating with NACS on this initiative to change the trajectory of kids’ health and well-being,” said PMA Vice President of Demand Creation and Consumer Affairs Kathy Means. “We know from NACS invaluable research that half of Americans are in and out of convenience stores every day, and having these kid-loved, parent-trusted monsters promoting delicious fresh produce helps parents make the healthy choice the easy choice. Having such a program shows each store’s commitment to their community.”

More information on the program, including a downloadable marketing toolkit, is available at www.convenience.org/eatbrighter. For questions about bringing eat brighter! into your stores, contact Jeff Lenard at [email protected].

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