Dive Brief:
- Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage retooled its monthly store circular to include more health and nutrition content along with interactive features for online readers, according to a company release.
- The circular, good4u Health Hotline Magazine, is now optimized for online reading, and includes social media sharing capabilities. The 28-page publication has also expanded to include more recipes, educational content, and feature stories.
- The circular is available in stores, by mail, and through email, and reaches an estimated 750,000 customers each month.
Dive Insight:
With traditional retailers, club stores and other formats muscling in on their turf, natural and organic retailers like Natural Grocers are reasserting their authority as health experts.
By redesigning its store circular, Natural Grocers is doing its due diligence on this front. A quick scan through the February issue of Health Hotline Magazine reveals stories about fish oil, healthy fats and how to lower blood pressure through healthy eating — all topics that speak to the “food as health” trend that Natural Grocers trades on.
Beyond its health content, Health Hotline also offers coupons, featured products and recipes. The circular is advertising, thought leadership and lifestyle content all rolled into one cost-effective package.
Do most of the 750,000 customers it claims to reach each month read the circular cover to cover? Probably not. But that doesn’t matter. Seeing the circular hit their inbox each month, knowing that the company takes natural, organic and healthy living seriously enough to produce a regular publication, can help solidify Natural Grocers’ standing as a whole health leader in the grocery industry.
