Jewel-Osco® Launches "living healthy with my diabetes™” Program Offering One-Stop Health and Wellness Solutions

At a time when 26 million Americans are living with diabetes, and the incidence of the disease is on the rise, expected to affect nearly 37 million people by 2015¹, JEWEL-OSCO, part of the nationwide SUPERVALU^® INC. (NYSE: SVU) family of grocery stores, today announced the launch of a comprehensive, whole-store health and wellness program called "living healthy with my diabetes™.” The program offers a variety of resources to make life easier for customers living with diabetes, including educational materials, health screening tests, group and individual diabetes education and training programs, medication management consultations, nutrition information, dietary tools, products and other services.

In addition to the resources that will be available year-round, JEWEL-OSCO will kick off the program with a number of special, limited-time offers between Nov. 7 and Nov. 20, in honor of American Diabetes Month, including:

• Free blood glucose test screenings at select locations on Saturday, Nov. 13, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Health screenings at participating stores for A1C, cholesterol and liver function for just $19.99
• Savings booklets for discounts on diabetes-related products, while supplies last

Program elements that are available year-round include:

• "Eating Healthy with Diabetes” store tours guided by specially trained pharmacists and registered dietitians covering topics such as choosing healthy foods, reading Nutrition Facts labels and identifying better-for-you food options
• Diabetes-friendly menu ideas and recipes, which can be accessed online through www.jewelosco.com when visitors click the "healthy eating” link
• Diabetes-friendly shopping lists, menu ideas and recipes, which are also available on JEWEL-OSCO’s Web site
• In-store pharmacy services including diabetes education, diabetes self-management services, blood glucose screenings, blood pressure monitoring and face-to-face medication reviews
• Nutrition information from registered dietitians
• Diabetes products such as equaline^® test strips, glucose tablets, blood pressure monitors, lancets, and latex and vinyl gloves

"Eating a well-balanced diet, including appropriate activity and taking medications as prescribed by your doctor are key when living with diabetes,” said JEWEL-OSCO Registered Dietitian Kim Kirchherr, MS, RD, LDN, CDE. "Our neighborhood grocery stores are uniquely positioned to be a one-stop solution for people with diabetes. In addition to offering delicious, nutritious foods and educational materials online and in store to make it easier to choose foods to help meet health goals, we have specially trained pharmacists on staff who can help educate customers, provide personalized training and guide them to the information, products and services they need to maintain a healthier lifestyle and better quality of life. The program is part of our commitment to provide convenient, affordable health and wellness solutions to our customers.”

Diabetes on the rise

JEWEL-OSCO is introducing the program as diabetes increasingly impacts the lives of more Americans and their families, at a high price both physically and financially.

The reported incidence of diabetes has climbed to 11.3 percent of American adults, and if current trends continue, 15 percent will be living with diabetes by 2015, according to the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index¹. Among the factors driving the growing incidence of diabetes is the upward trend in obesity: Americans who are obese are nearly three times as likely as those who are not obese to report having been diagnosed with diabetes.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, 57 million Americans currently have pre-diabetes, which puts them at risk for developing diabetes, as well as heart disease and stroke, in future years. The total estimated cost of diabetes in the United States is $174 billion in excess medical expenditures, disability, work loss and premature mortality².

The disease also is a major and growing concern among ethnic populations. Research shows that 15 percent of African Americans and 14 percent of Hispanics suffer from adult onset diabetes³.

What is diabetes?

Diabetes is defined by high blood sugar levels that happen when the body loses the ability to make or use insulin effectively.

When insulin is not available for cells, the body cannot obtain the glucose or sugar from foods eaten to use it as energy. Types of diabetes and related conditions include:

• Type 1 diabetes — occurs when the body does not produce insulin. Type 1 is usually diagnosed in children and adults. Treatment includes regular blood sugar tests, insulin therapy and other medical intervention.
• Type 2 diabetes — occurs when the body either doesn’t make enough insulin or doesn’t use insulin effectively. The condition can often be managed by diet, exercise and blood sugar monitoring.
• Pre-diabetes — occurs when blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed. Those with pre-diabetes are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. It may be avoided by weight loss and increased physical activity.

Committed to health and wellness

JEWEL-OSCO has made a commitment to health and wellness as busy, budget-conscious consumers seek convenient solutions for their everyday health needs. The living healthy with my diabetes initiative is the latest example of this commitment, offering consumers a holistic approach that includes both grocery and in-store pharmacy services.

In fact, the company’s pharmacies have evolved from just filling prescriptions to offering a variety of immunizations, personalized health screenings, and clinical health education and management services for a wide variety of health conditions.

In-store pharmacies play an important role in health and wellness issues as consumers are increasingly putting their trust in them to help meet their medical needs. A December 2009 Gallup Poll showed that two out of every three respondents (66 percent) rated pharmacists "very high” or "high” when asked about honesty and ethical standards, second only to nurses among the top five most highly rated professions⁴.

"Beyond the pharmacy, our stores offer tips and tools to help customers living with diabetes better manage their diets,” Kirchherr said. "Managing diabetes with a food plan is about understanding the importance of balanced nutrition and choosing from a variety of food groups throughout the day. Our stores offer the resources that people with diabetes need to enjoy controlled portions of foods from every food group, so they can eat what they love, balanced with what they need.”

Starting in early November and continuing throughout the month, customers can learn more about the living healthy with my diabetes program by visiting www.jeweloscopharmacies.com. To sign up for an Eating Healthy with Diabetes grocery store tour and to learn about the other diabetes education services available, consumers can talk with their pharmacist, or call the toll-free clinical services phone line at (800) 783-0458.

About JEWEL-OSCO

JEWEL-OSCO, a SUPERVALU company, operates 183 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 estimated annual sales of $38 billion. SUPERVALU serves customers across the United States through a network of approximately 4,280 stores composed of approximately 1,160 traditional retail stores, including 813 in-store pharmacies; 1,210 hard-discount stores, of which 876 are operated by licensee owners; and 1,910 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.

Sources:

¹ Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, "U.S. Diabetes Rate Climbs Above 11%; Could Hit 15% by 2015,” Oct. 27, 2009, www.gallup.com.

²Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Diabetes Fact Sheet, 2007 (most recent year for which CDC data is available).

³ Mead, H., Cartwright-Smith, L., Jones, K., Ramos, C., Siegel, B., Woods, K. (2008); "Racial and Ethnic Disparities in U.S. Healthcare: A Chartbook”; The Commonwealth Fund.

⁴ Gallup’s Annual Honesty and Ethics Professional Poll, "Honesty and Ethics Poll Finds Congress’ Image Tarnished,” Dec. 9, 2009, www.gallup.com.