Nourishing Identity: How Tech is Bringing Health Benefits Home

BENTONVILLE, Ark. – December 09, 2025 – In a move that seamlessly blends digital health innovation with deep cultural understanding, benefits platform evermore has partnered with Vallarta Supermarkets, one of California’s most prominent Latino-owned grocery chains. The announcement marks Vallarta's first-ever integration with a health benefit card, allowing members of participating Medicare Advantage and Medicaid plans to use their supplemental benefits at over 60 locations. While on the surface it's a story of technological integration, its true significance lies at the intersection of technology, trust, and the human layer of healthcare.

This partnership is more than a new payment option; it’s a direct response to one of public health’s most pressing challenges: making preventative care and healthy living accessible and relevant to diverse populations. By connecting health plan benefits to a trusted community grocer known for its authentic, culturally specific offerings, the initiative moves beyond the generic advice to “eat healthy” and provides the actual means to do so in a way that resonates with heritage and home.

Bridging Health Gaps with Cultural Relevance

The need for such a targeted approach in California is stark. More than one in three Latino adults in the state live in food-insecure households, and these communities often have fewer healthy food retailers compared to predominantly white neighborhoods. This lack of access contributes to significant health disparities, including higher rates of obesity and diabetes. The “food as medicine” movement has long recognized the power of nutrition, but its success hinges on engagement. Forcing members to choose between unfamiliar “healthy” products and the foods they grew up with is a recipe for failure.

The evermore-Vallarta partnership tackles this head-on. It acknowledges a fundamental truth that evermore's VP of Growth, Jared Childs, articulated: “For our growing base of members, food is personal — and benefits should feel that way too.” Instead of a generic big-box store, members can now use their &more card for the specific ingredients needed for traditional meals—from fresh produce and spices to specialty cuts of meat from the carnicería. This isn't just about providing calories; it's about providing dignity and choice, reinforcing cultural identity as a component of well-being.

By embedding health benefits within a trusted neighborhood institution, the program lowers barriers to entry. Vallarta is more than a supermarket; for many, it's a community touchstone. This existing trust is a powerful, often-overlooked asset in healthcare. When a digital benefit card works seamlessly at a familiar checkout counter, it transforms the user’s identity from a patient navigating a complex system to a consumer making empowered choices for their family.

A New Blueprint for Retail and Health Tech

This collaboration represents a significant evolution in the landscape of supplemental health benefits. It highlights a strategic shift from broad, one-size-fits-all programs to highly targeted, community-based solutions. For Vallarta Supermarkets, this is a calculated technological leap rooted in its core mission. “At Vallarta, our technology investments are always rooted in improving the customer experience,” stated Steve Netherton, the company's CIO. “Working with evermore allows us to simplify how health plan members shop for the foods that matter most to them.”

evermore’s “Smart Benefits” platform provides the nimble infrastructure for this personalization. Unlike closed-loop gift cards or cumbersome voucher systems of the past, these modern benefit cards can be instantly programmed and customized. Health plans can use the platform to target specific needs, incentivize healthy behaviors like completing a wellness visit, and gather data to measure the program’s impact on health outcomes and member satisfaction. The result is a system where incentives are aligned: the health plan sees better engagement and potentially lower long-term costs, the retailer gains a loyal customer base, and the member receives tangible, useful benefits.

This model sets a precedent, creating a competitive advantage in a crowded market. While other benefit platforms have secured partnerships with national chains, evermore's focus on a large, culturally significant regional grocer is a masterclass in strategic differentiation. It provides a blueprint for other health plans and tech platforms seeking to address health equity in a meaningful way, proving that the most effective solutions are often those built with a specific community, rather than a generic consumer, in mind. As Carr Osborn, Vallarta’s CTO, noted, the goal is to ensure members can “continue to feed their families with the authentic ingredients they love.”

Vallarta’s Vision: Tech-Powered Community Hub

The partnership with evermore is not an isolated event but a key component of Vallarta Supermarkets' broader vision. The family-owned chain, which grew from a single meat market in 1985, has consistently demonstrated a forward-thinking approach to growth and technology while holding fast to its community-centric values. This dual focus is positioning Vallarta not just as a grocer, but as a modern, tech-enabled community hub.

Vallarta’s commitment to innovation is visible throughout its operations. The company has been piloting autonomous robots to monitor for spills and out-of-stock items, improving both safety and efficiency. It recently launched a retail media network with in-store digital screens featuring bilingual content, enhancing customer communication. Furthermore, by partnering with services like Instacart and offering “buy now, pay later” options, Vallarta has embraced the digital expectations of the modern shopper.

This context is crucial. The integration of evermore’s health benefit card is another layer in this strategy, using technology to deepen its relationship with its core customer base. As Vallarta prepares for its first-ever expansion outside California with a new store opening in Arizona, this partnership serves as a powerful differentiator. It signals to new communities that Vallarta is a retailer that understands and invests in the holistic well-being of its patrons. By making it easier for seniors and low-income families to access health benefits, Vallarta reinforces its identity as an essential community asset, building a foundation of trust that will fuel its next phase of growth.