Healthy Retail Program

The Alameda County Nutrition Services (ACNS) Healthy Retail Program partners with local grocery store owners of diverse cultural backgrounds working towards sustainable environmental changes to promote health and well-being and to offer a variety of fruits, vegetables, healthy snacks, and water.

We currently work with stores in Oakland, San Leandro, and Ashland (unincorporated area of Alameda County). List | Map.

The Healthy Retail Program advances health and racial equity by:

• Working with small, neighborhood stores in areas far from supermarkets.
• Supporting efforts to increase health messaging to create a welcoming environment for residents.
• Offering in-store or virtual events that include cooking demonstrations, fruit infused water taste tests, and healthy snack options.
• Collaborating with neighborhood groups/associations such as the Yemeni Grocer’s Association. Past collaborations have included Roots Clinic, collaborating on Rethink Your Drink, grocery tour videos, and produce coupons to their classes.
• Updating store bulletin boards with health and wellness resources
• Having a registered dietitian conduct grocery store tours (dairy, meat, bread, and cereal sections) and on hand to answer nutrition questions. Tour participants practice label reading, discuss benefits of fruits & vegetables, receive nutrition/health information, and learn budgeting strategies! Tours are conducted in both English and Spanish.
• Featuring 15 new refrigerators in 10 partner stores with support from the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA)
• Providing support to store owners with applying to grants or with additional health resources