SALISBURY, N.C., March 03, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Guiding Stars® and Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) today announced an expansion of their longstanding collaboration that establishes Guiding Stars as a core nutrition standard supporting PHA’s work to advance healthier food choices nationwide. The collaboration reflects a shared commitment to making it easier for people to find nutritious food where they shop and live in communities across the U.S.
As part of the expanded collaboration, PHA will use Guiding Stars as its nutrition standard for identifying and communicating healthier food options. The collaboration strengthens shared efforts to advance a more nutritious and transparent food landscape, while supporting both organizations’ commitments to better-for-you choices and improved well-being for people and the planet.
“At Ahold Delhaize USA, everyday food choices play a critical role in personal well-being and the long-term health of our planet,” said Marc Stolzman, Chief Sustainability Officer, Ahold Delhaize USA. “Guiding Stars has helped millions of customers confidently identify nutritious options, and we’re proud to deepen our collaboration with PHA to make these trusted insights even more meaningful. This expanded partnership reflects our ongoing approach to support the growth of healthier sales and helps ensure nutritious foods are easy to find and accessible for all brand customers.”
“PHA is thrilled to expand our collaboration with Guiding Stars, a partner that has long shared our commitment to the power of food to drive health,” said Noreen Springstead, President and CEO of Partnership for a Healthier America. “By making it easier for people to identify nutritious options, we can empower them to make choices that support their health and the health of their families. This evolution of our partnership reflects our shared belief that nutritious food should be accessible to everyone.”
As Guiding Stars enters its 20th year, the program continues to expand its reach beyond its origins to serve as a foundational nutrition guidance framework supporting retailers, brands and health-focused organizations. Its continued collaboration with PHA underscores a sustained commitment to transforming the food landscape through transparency, accessibility and science-based tools.
Developed as the official nutrition guidance program across Ahold Delhaize USA brands, Guiding Stars has evolved to become a resource also accessible to retailers, consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies and partners committed to advancing nutrition transparency. Within Ahold Delhaize USA, it is used as a nutrition standard for target setting and for reporting the percentage of sales from specified products, demonstrating its application as a measurable, science‑based framework beyond the shelf.
Guiding Stars has been a pioneer in simplifying nutrition transparency for shoppers. Its science-backed, three-star rating system evaluates foods and beverages based on nutrient density and ingredients, appearing across product packaging both in-store and digitally – including e-commerce and the Guiding Stars app – helping consumers quickly identify nutritious options in an increasingly complex food environment.
“Guiding Stars started as a shelf tag program in 2006 and has evolved into a standard for identifying products with net positive nutrition in an increasingly complex world,” said Julie Greene, Director of Guiding Stars. “Expanding our collaboration with PHA reinforces our core mission to provide clear, credible guidance that helps increase access to nutritious food and supports healthier communities.”
For more information on Guiding Stars, visit www.guidingstars.com.
For more information about Partnership for a Healthier America, visit www.ahealthieramerica.org.
About Ahold Delhaize USA
Ahold Delhaize USA, a division of global food retailer Ahold Delhaize, is part of the U.S. family of brands, which also includes five leading omnichannel grocery brands: Food Lion, The GIANT Company, Giant Food, Hannaford and Stop & Shop. When considered together, the companies of Ahold Delhaize USA comprise the largest grocery retail group on the East Coast and the fourth largest in the nation, serving 26 million omnichannel customers each week. For more information, visit www.adusa.com.
About Partnership for a Healthier America
At Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA), we are advancing equitable access to nutritious food for all in America to lead healthy lives. As a national nonprofit founded alongside Former First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! campaign in 2010, PHA works with community organizations, corporations, foundations and governments to build healthier communities through nutritious food. Learn more about our work at ahealthieramerica.org.
MEDIA CONTACT
mediarelations@adusa.com
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/13dfa051-77e9-4048-ab7a-78ddc61c67db
