FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FOOD, BEVERAGE COMPANIES WILL USE NEW FOOD GUIDE TO PROMOTE HEALTHY LIFESTYLES
Contact:
Scott Openshaw, Director, Communications, 202-295-3957
Brian Kennedy, Director, Communications, 202-639-5994
April 19, 2005, Washington, D.C. – The Grocery Manufacturers of America (GMA) today announced that the food and beverage industry will help promote the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Guidance System to encourage healthy eating and daily activity through product development, marketing campaigns and educational partnerships.
"Today’s release of the new Food Guidance System provides an unparalleled opportunity for government, the food and beverage industry, nutrition experts and others to help Americans live healthier lifestyles," said GMA President and CEO Manly Molpus.
GMA members will use their expertise in marketing, nutrition science and product development to help consumers adopt the recommendations of the USDA’s Food Guide.
This fall, GMA will sponsor a nationwide education campaign with Weekly Reader Corporation Consumer and Custom Publishing (WRCC&CP) to promote the Food Guidance System to students, teachers and families. GMA and WRCC&CP will distribute 58,000 posters to Weekly Reader teacher subscribers consisting of a teacher’s guide and student activities, and a bi-lingual parent take-home component in English and Spanish. The materials will include math, nutrition and science activities. WRCC&CP estimates the education campaign will reach more than 4 million students.
This partnership is just one example of how the food and beverage industry will help bring the Food Guide into the homes of consumers. The food and beverage industry will also: - Increase the use of whole grains, reducing saturated and trans fats, reducing sodium content, introducing lower-sugar options, and providing fruits and vegetables in convenient packaging.
- Use product labeling, marketing campaigns and other resources to inform consumers about how products they purchase meet the Food Guide’s nutrition recommendations.
- Sponsor education campaigns to increase awareness and adoption of the Food Guide’s recommendations.
In its public comments, GMA encouraged the USDA to continue using the well-known image of the pyramid because it is an icon recognized by more than 80 percent of Americans. This extraordinary recognition rate is due, in part, to the efforts of the food and beverage industry.
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Based in Washington, D.C., the Grocery Manufacturers Association is the voice of more than 300 leading food, beverage and consumer product companies that sustain and enhance the quality of life for hundreds of millions of people in the United States and around the globe. Founded in 1908, GMA is an active, vocal advocate for its member companies and a trusted source of information about the industry and the products consumers rely on and enjoy every day. The association and its member companies are committed to meeting the needs of consumers through product innovation, responsible business practices and effective public policy solutions developed through a genuine partnership with policymakers and other stakeholders. In keeping with its founding principles, GMA helps its members produce safe products through a strong and ongoing commitment to scientific research, testing and evaluation and to providing consumers with the products, tools and information they need to achieve a healthy diet and an active lifestyle. The food, beverage and consumer packaged goods industry in the United States generates sales of $2.1 trillion annually, employs 14 million workers and contributes $1 trillion in added value to the economy every year.
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