Walmart has just announced a five-year plan to make thousands of its store-brand packaged foods healthier as well as less costly.  The plan comes with the support of First Lady Michelle Obama, a champion for nutrition, healthy living and the reduction of child obesity.

So a retailer is changing its stock...what's the big deal?  These kinds of things happen all the time without the fanfare of media and trumpeting at our national capitol.  As I see it, the big deal is that Walmart is, well, a big deal.  And the company is flexing its muscles in a way that no other company can.  As our country's single largest grocer, Walmart's move to reduce sodium, fat and sugar in its products will have a significant effect on the diet of millions of American, many of which currently have limited access to affordable, nutritious food. What's more, Walmart's change will likely trigger a chain of events across the food industry.  As a mega buyer and distributor of packaged goods, Walmart can influence the hundreds of manufacturers it works with to shape the products that are brought to market for years to come. According to coverage by the New York Times, "...the company has almost as much power as federal regulators to shape the marketplace."

Walmart customers must want and be able to afford these healthier products in order for Walmart to maintain its sales.  That's where we find the potential for a win-win:  as Walmart puts its marketing machine, supply chain, and retail magic behind healthy foods, the corporation will increase its sales and profit while also creating awareness of and access to healthier, more nutritious food.

I'm excited to see what comes of Walmart's healthy food strategy.  If it's anything like the company's four dollar prescription program, it will be a step in the right direction for consumers and manufacturers as well as a highly successful venture for the company.  My hunch is that this is another example of social innovation that will bear fruit...pun intended.