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Search At PepsiCo, we recognize that consumers face numerous daily challenges in their efforts to eat better, and we believe we have a role to play in addressing those challenges. As part of our Performance with Purpose agenda, we are working to address this by making better- and good-for-you foods more accessible and reducing sugar, salt, and fat content across our product portfolio – without compromising on taste. Through our participation in the US pilot of ‘Collaboration for Healthier Lives’, known as ‘One for Good’ in Hagerstown, MD we are working to amplify our portfolio transformation and innovation achievements by testing new ways for consumers to find options in their local grocery stores that correspond to their health and wellness goals, educating shoppers on the importance of nutrition, and suggesting fun new ways to use our products and complimentary non-PepsiCo products though recipes and sampling events.
In collaboration with DanoneWave, we developed a catalogue of simple, nutritious breakfast meal solutions, and are showcasing one recipe per month at the Hagerstown Walmart during their monthly Wellness Days. On those days, shoppers can stop by our kiosk to sample recipes that combine Quaker (whole grains) and Dannon (dairy) products with fresh fruit. To incentivize shoppers to try the meals at home, we are giving away recipe booklets and providing coupons for featured products. In addition to the brand-focused elements of the program, the PepsiCo Foundation is supporting Share Our Strength to deliver monthly, brand-agnostic, Cooking MattersTM nutrition education events at Walmart, which provide participants with tools and information to help them shop for better-for-you products on a budget. Delivered by trained volunteers from the Hagerstown community, these events are engaging and fun, and teach key skills like how to read unit pricing and nutrition labels, or tips for preparing nutritious or wholesome foods, while also providing general nutrition education based on USDA MyPlate guidelines. Participants who visit all of the stations (fruit/veggie, dairy, whole grain, protein) are rewarded with a $10 grocery gift card, which they can use that day or on another shopping trip.
In collaboration with Martin’s, we are putting our good-for-you and better-for-you products front and center in their three Hagerstown stores. We have installed fixtures in prominent areas of the stores, which showcase products such as Quaker oatmeal and breakfast bars, Tropicana, baked and reduced fat chips, water, and no-calorie teas. We’re encouraging shoppers to try these products in multiple ways – by providing seasonal recipes that incorporate items from the breakfast fixture along with fresh items like fruits, vegetables and dairy; offering a $3 discount to consumers who buy $10 worth of the products featured on each of the fixtures; and through monthly sampling events where we are demonstrating fun new ways to use these products in both breakfast recipes and snack pairings. Our hope is that our focus on these product choices, combined with consumer education and taste experiences, in multiple retail stores, combine to inform and empower Hagerstown shoppers on their personal wellness journeys.
Underlying PepsiCo’s Performance with Purpose goals is the belief that our business can do well while also having a positive impact in the communities we serve. In my view, the effort in Hagerstown exemplifies this philosophy, uniting a wide range of stakeholders to strive towards systemic and sustainable change in the community. By coordinating our ‘One for Good’ efforts with the Healthy Washington County initiative, we are ensuring that our pilot aligns with the existing public health objectives of the community. Over the course of the last year and a half, our two initiatives have worked together closely and, during that time, have forged a mutual trust based on commitment towards a common goal. It is this trust and shared commitment that has enabled us to leverage the resources and expertise of multiple organizations and created the potential to grow our impact beyond what any of us could have achieved alone.
As a working mother of two, I am acutely aware of the myriad of barriers to leading the healthy lifestyle I envision for myself and my family. Despite the fact that I’ve spent a significant portion of my career trying to improve food security and nutrition in communities, I still find it a daily challenge in my own life. I know I am not alone. Busy schedules, conflicting messages, premium prices, and a lack of easy access to nutritious options can make it difficult for everyone. That’s why I am so proud of the work we are doing in Hagerstown, in collaboration with other manufacturers, retailers, and local organizations in Hagerstown to find new ways to address these barriers. Given the broad range and complexity of factors that contribute to diet-related disease, I know that real change can only be achieved through a coordinated effort by a broad range of stakeholders, including industry, health professionals, government, and community organizations. That is what we are aiming to achieve through ‘One for Good’.
While this work is not easy, and the long-term impact of this cross-sector collaboration may not be evident for some time, I believe that ‘One for Good’ serves as a model for shared value partnership- driving both economic impact and innovation for business and social impact for the local community.
Maggie Biscarr
Director, Global Partnership Solutions
PepsiCo
