West Des Moines, Iowa – Jan. 5, 2026 – Midwestern grocery retailer Hy-Vee, which operates more than 280 grocery stores across eight Midwestern states, announces its collaboration with the FoodHealth Company to bring the FoodHealth Score – the industry standard nutrition-transparency metric – to Hy-Vee shoppers.
The FoodHealth Score is a 1–100 scoring system that enables customers to compare the nutritional value of individual foods across the spectrum. Each product – from a box of cereal to a head of lettuce – receives a score based on its nutrient density and ingredient quality. The score reflects how closely household food choices align with dietary patterns proven to lower chronic disease risk. A score of 50 marks the midpoint – foods above it trend healthier; below it less so. Hy-Vee customers can find the scoring system when shopping online or using the Hy-Vee mobile app.
“The grocery store is one of the most important healthcare environments in America,” said Samantha Citro Alexander, FoodHealth Company’s chief executive and founder. “With this launch, shoppers can feel confident that Hy-Vee is truly a partner in their health.”
With the partnership, Hy-Vee customers also gain access to FoodHealth Score Insights, which are explanations showing why an item scores the way it does based on nutrient density and ingredient quality, as well as Better-For-You Options, which offer healthier alternatives for customers to review. These features are designed to make informed decision-making easier and more intuitive.
“With the implementation of the FoodHealth Score in our app, we want to make healthy food options more accessible and transparent,” said Aaron Wiese, Hy-Vee’s president. “This tool builds upon the dietitian and pharmacy services we already offer and adds to our holistic ‘food is medicine’ approach that we provide to our customers. Now more than ever before, we have the resources available to best serve individuals in their health journey.”
Growing national momentum – from the push to eliminate red dyes to broader calls for regulating ultra-processed foods – signals a new era of public and private accountability. Nearly 60% of grocery dollars spent go to foods that are meant to be consumed only on occasion, according to the FoodHealth Company’s Health of America’s Grocery Carts report released in collaboration with NielsenIQ. Research from NielsenIQ also shows that more than 75% of shoppers say food transparency directly influences their trust and loyalty to a grocery brand.
