Jewel-Osco® Commemorates American Heart Month With Activities Supporting 'Go Red For Women®'

ITASCA, Ill., Feb. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- JEWEL-OSCO, a leading Midwest food and drug retailer, is partnering with the American Heart Association (AHA) to raise awareness and funds for the AHA's "Go Red For Women" campaign against heart disease, the leading cause of death for American women.

In February, which is also American Heart Month, JEWEL-OSCO is taking part in several initiatives to support "Go Red For Women."  Donations for the campaign have been collected at store registers.  In addition, JEWEL-OSCO will contribute a portion of the proceeds from sales of environmentally-friendly bags to "Go Red For Women."  Customers can visit special in-store displays to find other items also being offered in honor of the campaign.  These products will be available while supplies last.  Meanwhile, JEWEL-OSCO will have tie-ins with several vendors to support "Go Red for Women."

During this time dedicated to heart health, JEWEL-OSCO also urges consumers to take advantage of nutrition iQ®, the company's in-store food labeling program that uses color-coded signs and shelf tags to help customers make better-informed food choices.  Consumers can visit www.jewelosco.com/nutritioniq to learn more about the program and how they can use it as a guide to find heart-smart selections, including foods that are higher in fiber, lower in sodium and have other attributes that are good for overall health.    

"We remain dedicated to educating the public about the threat of heart disease to women," said Nancy Chagares, JEWEL-OSCO senior vice president of marketing and merchandising.  "American Heart Month gives us an excellent opportunity to reach out to our customers and the community, and educate them about the steps we can all take to protect ourselves and our loved ones."

JEWEL-OSCO's activities are being done in conjunction with its parent company, SUPERVALU®, which is in its third year as a national supporter of the "Go Red For Women" campaign.  This February, SUPERVALU and JEWEL-OSCO are partnering to promote heart health and the many ways they can help customers make healthier choices for themselves and their families.  For example, SUPERVALU and JEWEL-OSCO are offering an in-store program called Value Your Heart™, which includes special booklets that provide customers meaningful savings, heart-smart recipes and valuable information that can help consumers achieve and maintain a heart-smart lifestyle.  The booklets, which also highlight special pharmacy services, will be available in JEWEL-OSCO stores while supplies last.

"We are proud to once again help educate the communities we serve about heart-smart shopping and menu choices," said JEWEL-OSCO Dietitian Kim Kirchherr, MS, RD, LDN, CDE.  "We know health is important to our customers, so we are happy to share tips and delicious recipes that can add up to big health savings for the whole family."

About JEWEL-OSCO

JEWEL-OSCO, a SUPERVALU company, operates more than 180 stores in Illinois, Iowa and Indiana.  With a market-leading position in Chicago, JEWEL-OSCO stores offer consumers the convenience of combined grocery and pharmacy retail, in addition to services such as fuel centers at select locations.  Originally established in 1899, the company and its associates remain committed to the communities they serve.  For more information about JEWEL-OSCO, please visit www.jewelosco.com or www.jeweloscopharmacies.com.

About SUPERVALU INC.

SUPERVALU INC. is one of the largest companies in the U.S. grocery channel with annual sales of approximately $38 billion.  SUPERVALU serves customers across the United States through a network of approximately 4,270 stores composed of approximately 1,140 traditional retail stores, including 816 in-store pharmacies; 1,240 hard-discount stores, of which 890 are operated by licensee owners; and 1,890 independent stores serviced primarily by the company's traditional food distribution business.  SUPERVALU has approximately 150,000 employees.  For more information about SUPERVALU visit www.supervalu.com.

About Go Red For Women

Go Red For Women is part of the American Heart Association's solution to help save women's lives.  With one out of three women still dying from heart disease, we are committed to fighting this No. 1 killer, which is largely preventable.  GoRedForWomen.org, a premiere source of information and education, connects millions of women of all ages and gives them tangible resources to turn personal choices into lifesaving actions.  We encourage women and the men who love them to embrace the cause.  For more information please visit GoRedForWomen.org or call 1-888-MY-HEART (1-888-694-3278).  The movement is nationally sponsored by Macy's and Merck & Co., Inc.

SOURCE JEWEL-OSCO