Ahold Delhaize USA has begun a new collaboration with NationsBenefits that enables eligible members to use the Benefits Mastercard Prepaid Flex Card to purchase fresh produce, pantry staples and over-the-counter wellness items in-store at Ahold Delhaize USA brands.
“This collaboration is another important step in our healthier people strategy to make nutritious choices affordable, easy and accessible,” said Marc Stolzman, chief sustainability officer for Ahold Delhaize USA.
“It’s not just about offering another way to pay – it’s about supporting healthier living and access for more families to nutritious foods and wellness items.”
The card leverages the NationsBenefits Basket Adjudication Service (BAS) technology for item-level approval at checkout. This means real-time decisions on eligible grocery and health items, removing guesswork for members and streamlining administration for health plans.
In addition, purchasing insights can help benefits providers tailor programs to community needs. Together, the model provides a scalable approach to preventive nutrition that supports healthier outcomes nationwide.
“Grocery is where everyday health decisions are made,” said Michael Parker, co-CEO of NationsBenefits.
“By integrating our real-time payments and eligibility technology at Ahold Delhaize USA’s trusted local brands, we enable members to use their benefits seamlessly at the moment of choice. That means reliable access to culturally meaningful, clinically aligned foods and a simpler path to prevention, adherence and outcomes.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), only about 10 percent of U.S. adults meet daily fruit-and-vegetable recommendations. By expanding benefit access directly into local grocery stores at Ahold Delhaize USA brands, this enables more shoppers to have the opportunity to easily choose nutritious options.
This effort complements Ahold Delhaize USA and its brands’ efforts supporting healthier people and communities through initiatives like the easy-to-follow Guiding Stars nutrition rating system and decades-long relationships Ahold Delhaize USA brands hold with feeding organizations in their local communities, among many other initiatives.
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About Ahold Delhaize USA
Ahold Delhaize USA, a division of global food retailer Ahold Delhaize, is part of the U.S. family of brands that includes five 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 millions of omnichannel customers each week.