And the Mystery Market is….
Big Y!!!
Yes, I know. I’ve been teasing you for far too long. The newest supermarket to put NuVal scores on their shelves is none other than Big Y, headquartered in Springfield, MA.
I have been just dying to divulge this secret to all of you. We have been working on this launch for months now, but we had to keep it top secret. Finally, on Monday, Big Y held a press conference announcing that they will launch NuVal on September 6th. I headed out to the press conference along with some of my NuVal colleagues.
When we arrived, the people at Big Y had really decked out their headquarters NuVal-style. It was amazing to see all of the beautiful signs, pamphlets and marketing pieces the team at Big Y had created. They have done a super job.
Dr. David Katz gave an outstanding presentation to all of Big Y’s Store Directors. He always wows the crowd! Here he is with Big Y’s Registered Dietitians, Andrea Samson and Carrie Taylor.
If you are in the Big Y area, you might see Carrie on TV or hear Carrie, Andrea and Dr. Katz on the radio talking about NuVal. Very cool!
After the Store Director Presentation, we headed back up the stairs to Big Y’s beautiful atrium to meet members of the press. Television, radio and newspaper reporters were there to hear Dr. Katz and Big Y’s CEO, Charlie D’Amour announce the big NuVal launch.
Dr. Katz talked about how thrilled he is to finally have a supermarket close to his home in Connecticut with NuVal scores on shelf. Me too! There is a Big Y in Walpole, MA – just about a 15 minute drive from my house – and so worth the trip!
Yesterday’s Giveaway
Congratulations to Commenter #34, Paul W! While you didn’t guess Big Y, Paul, you are the winner of the Gluten-Free Giveaway. Please send me an email at abetterbagofgroceries@gmail.com with your mailing address so that I can send your prize to you. Thanks to everyone who entered. I loved reading your guesses!
Posted by: Melissa 8 comments
Posted in: Big Y
Tags: Big Y
on Aug 25th, 2010 at 7:12 am
Congratulations, Big Y (and to all of its customers)!!
on Aug 25th, 2010 at 8:26 am
Wahh! Any plans to come to our area, Melissa?!?
on Aug 25th, 2010 at 8:47 am
I’m wondering if many stores are resisitent to adopting NuVal because of pressure from some of the food companies. I’m thinking many of the food companies may not want people educated on the “unhealthy” nature of their food. Curious?
on Aug 25th, 2010 at 9:27 am
haha…I’ve never even heard of the Big Y:-)cc
on Aug 25th, 2010 at 11:16 am
I’ve never heard of Big Y either.
I hope NUVAL comes to the regular ol’ United Supermarkets soon. Sometimes I just need to pick up a few things at the store, so I don’t need to travel an hour away to Market Street, but I still want to see the scores. Ah well. Maybe soon?
on Aug 25th, 2010 at 12:15 pm
I’ve never heard of Big Y! Where are they? Are they like a Whole Foods type market?
on Aug 25th, 2010 at 2:36 pm
Hello,
I’m so excited to see Big Y has made it on to A Better Bag of Groceries! To answer the question about the who and where, I can help…
Big Y Foods, Inc. is a family-owned supermarket chain based solely in Massachusetts and Connecticut. Founded in 1936 by two brothers, Paul and Gerald D’Amour, the company has expanded from the original “Cash Y Market” to the 54 stores of today. The D’Amour family still owns and operates the company. The majority of our stores are based in Western Massachusetts and Connecticut, though we have one location in Walpole, MA as Melissa mentioned and five stores in the Worcester area of the state.
Big Y has been a leader in the region for providing nutrition education to consumers. Years before I joined the company, Big Y had already implemented a nutrition tag program called “Food for Thought” that highlighted the nutrient content of foods based on FDA definitions (ie: Good Source of Calcium, etc.). In 2005, I joined the team to head up the Living Well Eating Smart program, a nutrition program offering customer newsletters, nutrition discussions in the weekly ad flyer and education in various media outlets (newspaper articles, blogs and radio and television tips). Bringing the NuVal™ Scoring System to Big Y customers is simply the next logical step for empowering our shoppers in their quest to find the most nutritious choices available in our aisles.
To learn more about Big Y, and what the Living Well Eating Smart Wellness Team has to offer customers, visit http://www.bigy.com.
-Carrie Taylor, RD, LDN
on Aug 30th, 2010 at 3:52 pm
Very excited Melissa – I wish the Big Y was a little bit closer so it could be my weekly store – but I am still planning a big shopping trip as soon as I can!