Wegmans' expansion of free trail guides advances the company's wellness strategy

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Successful consumer wellness programs aren't only about generating sales across a broad selection of better-for-you products, they're about cultivating a lifestyle choice among consumers. If the program converts a consumer to the pursuit of wellness and the retailer serves as the conduit to that wellness, the engendered loyalty and subsequent sales jump will come organically. 

That's part of the reasoning behind Wegmans commitment to publishing free trail guides, which the grocer will be expanding by an additional eight guides Wegmans announced Monday. 

Wegmans started offering a trail guide — "Passport to Wellness" — to consumers in 2005, where it started as a pocket-sized booklet outlining the hiking trails around the company's hometown. Today, the company has 18 additional guides to more than 150 trails in four states and a total print run of more than 36,000 booklets. Another eight guides are on the way, Wegmans added. 

“The 'Passports to Family Wellness' are a perfect match for one of [Wegman's] four Eat Well, Live Well principles,” stated Marcie Bartolotta, who manages community Eat Well, Live Well initiatives for Wegmans. “One principle says ‘Get Moving.’ Many, many studies show that regular exercise does help people of all ages maintain better health. Walking, hiking and biking are great ways to get moving – and you may not even realize you’re exercising because you’re having so much fun doing it.”

The free guides are available on request from the customer service desk of Wegmans stores near the trails, from many town libraries and park departments, or can be accessed and printed on wegmans.com.

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