CASTLE ROCK, CO — Integrated Management Information, Inc. and Heinen's Fine Foods, a regional retailer with 17 locations in northeast Ohio, are pleased to announce the launch of the WhereFoodComesFrom(R) labeling program in the grocery chain's meat department. The program is designed to give customers more information about the source and origin of Heinen's Own Beef and Pork. IMI Global has created a new website detailing the program at www.wherefoodcomesfrom.com/heinens
"Knowing where your food comes from is the basis for knowing everything about what you eat," said Tom Heinen. "We take great pride in the specifications that go into the sourcing of our food products. We only accept the very best for our customers. The WhereFoodComesFrom(R) labeling program helps us to provide our customers information about the source of our beef and pork products, and lets consumers learn firsthand about where, how and by whom their food was raised."
Heinen's Fine Foods will utilize the WhereFoodComesFrom(R) labeling program on all of its Heinen's Own Beef and Pork. The program incorporates a quick response (QR) bar code that allows consumers using a smart phone to scan the product and quickly access detailed information about the product's origins. Click here to view the new label.
"We've been offering verification services to farmers and ranchers for food marketing claims for 15 years and WhereFoodComesFrom(R) is our effort to connect that program with the consumers who are looking for information about the food they buy," said Leann Saunders, president of IMI Global. "Consumer research tells us that people want to know more about their food and WhereFoodComesFrom(R) tells that story in an authentic way that consumers can be confident in."
A rancher, farmer or food supplier can only use the WhereFoodComesFrom(R) verification seal of approval if the source of the product has been verified through a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Process Verified Program (PVP) or Quality Systems Assessment (QS) auditing system. Participating suppliers are then able to market their food products with the WhereFoodComesFrom(R) seal and accompanying QR code to offer consumers an added level of confidence in the product's attributes.
"This labeling program allows us to provide even more information to our customers and enhances the personal relationships that we have with them that have always been important to Heinen's dating back to when our first store opened in 1929," said Tom Heinen.
"WhereFoodComeFrom(R) provides shoppers more transparency about how their food was raised that really has not been available until now," added Saunders. "We want to make the food production story come full circle and offer farmers and ranchers a way to connect to the people who buy their products."
WhereFoodComesFrom(R) and IMI Global rely on a proven system of third party verification to ensure that a food supplier's claims are accurate. In addition to its core source and age verification services, IMI Global offers verification programs for humane handling, grass fed, natural, sustainable ranching practices and other food marketing claims. The Company has more than 6,000 customers nationwide, including ranchers, feed yards and packer-processors.
For more information, visit www.heinens.com or www.wherefoodcomesfrom.com .
Where Food Comes From(R) is an initiative of IMI Global, Inc. and is a unique program designed to enhance consumer confidence in the food supply chain and independent marketing claims. Founded in 1995, Integrated Management Information, Inc. is a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Process Verified (PVP) company and is a leading provider of verification and Internet solutions for the agriculture industry. For more information, visit www.wherefoodcomesfrom.com or www.imiglobal.com .
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, based on current expectations, estimates and projections that are subject to risk. Forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain, and actual events could differ materially from the Company's predictions. Important factors that could cause actual events to vary from predictions include those discussed in our SEC filings. Specifically, statements in this news release about the demand for, and impact and effectiveness of, the Company's products and services on the marketplace are forward-looking statements that are subject to a variety of factors, including availability of capital, personnel and other resources; competition, governmental regulation of the beef industry, the market for beef and other factors. In addition, financial results for the three-month period are not necessarily indicative of future results. Readers should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The Company assumes no obligation to update its forward-looking statements to reflect new information or developments. For a more extensive discussion of the Company's business, please refer to the Company's SEC filings at www.sec.gov .
Source: Integrated Management Information (IMI Global)
