Key Takeaways:

  • Payments company Fresh Connect announced Thursday the launch of four specialty grocery cards, paired with a new app, to support food-as-medicine purchases.
  • Fresh Connect cardholders can now purchase a broader range of healthy grocery items, with each of the four cards having its own approved product list defined by nutritional standards.
  • The move comes as consumers increasingly prioritize health and wellness amid SNAP restrictions and food accessibility challenges.

Deep Dive:

Fresh Connect's latest development expands its program—which provides prepaid debit cards to health plan members and other entities—from a single produce card to a system supporting broader nutrition programs, according to a press release.

Health partners are responsible for determining cardholder eligibility, according to the payments company's website.

Fresh Connect's four cards are named Produce, Produce+, Grocery, and Grocery Rx. The Produce card covers only fresh produce; Produce+ expands to fresh and frozen produce without additives. The Grocery card provides access to "most grocery categories that meet recommended nutritional standards," according to the announcement. Grocery Rx is designed for individuals at risk of or living with diet-related conditions, covering products from a "medically tailored" list that meets "stricter nutritional standards," Fresh Connect said.

The approved product lists corresponding to each card were developed collaboratively by registered dietitians, nutrition scientists, health partners, and community organizations. Fresh Connect stated that these expert insights ensure "eligible items align with evidence-based nutrition guidelines and reflect the real-world needs of the populations these programs serve."

Fresh Connect CEO Josh Trautwein noted that the expansion moves Fresh Connect "into the entire grocery store."

Fresh Connect confirmed via email that the four new cards are now available to any interested user.

According to the company's website, the payment solution is accepted at over 20,000 retailers across 15 states, including major grocers such as Albertsons, Fred Meyer, Harris Teeter, Kroger, Safeway, Shaws, and Walmart Supercenters. The payment solution first launched in 2020 and currently has over 25,000 cardholders.