Your Grocery Store Is Now Your AI-Powered Wellness Coach

LUBBOCK, TX & NEW YORK, NY – January 07, 2026

As shoppers across Texas and New Mexico embarked on their New Year's resolutions, one regional grocery giant quietly transformed itself from a simple food retailer into a personalized wellness partner. The United Family, a subsidiary of Albertsons Companies, has launched its third annual “28-Day Challenge,” a popular loyalty campaign that now comes with a significant technological upgrade: an artificial intelligence component designed to verify and reward customers' healthy habits.

The program, which began on January 1st across United Supermarkets, Albertsons Market, Market Street, and Amigos banners, is no longer just about checking boxes. It now asks for proof. By integrating AI-powered image recognition, the grocer is pioneering a new form of customer engagement that blurs the lines between retail, technology, and personal health coaching.

The New AI Accountability Partner

At the heart of the 2026 campaign is an innovative task-tracking system developed in partnership with loyalty solution provider TCC Global. Participants in the challenge, which is linked to their Rewards! loyalty accounts, can now upload images as proof of completing wellness-related activities. This moves the program from a simple honor system to a visually verified journey.

For instance, after a workout, a user can snap a photo of their treadmill screen or fitness tracker showing the duration of their exercise and upload it through the loyalty app. When committing to adding more color to their diet, they can submit a picture of a meal featuring a variety of vegetables. The AI backend processes these images to confirm the action, subsequently rewarding the user with digital tokens. This creates a tangible link between a healthy action and an immediate, valuable reward, a powerful behavioral incentive.

This application of AI represents a significant step forward in retail loyalty. While other retailers are using AI to power search recommendations—including United's parent company, Albertsons, which saw a 10% increase in basket size from its “Ask AI” tool—United is applying it to actively guide and validate lifestyle changes. The goal, as stated by the company, is to provide genuine support for customers' long-term well-being.

Beyond Discounts: Building Loyalty Through Lifestyle

The 28-Day Challenge is a clear manifestation of a broader strategic shift in the retail industry: the evolution from transactional loyalty to relational loyalty. Instead of merely offering points for purchases, forward-thinking retailers are investing in their customers' lives, building a deeper connection that transcends the weekly shopping trip.

“The 2026 28-Day Challenge creates incentives for our guests to make better health and wellness decisions during the campaign and throughout the year, because we want each of them to shop with us for many years to come,” said Tony Crumpton, CMO and VP at United Supermarkets. His statement underscores the long-term business strategy at play. By fostering healthier customers, United aims to cultivate more loyal, long-term patrons.

The program was meticulously designed by United's own health-and-wellness team, which includes registered dietitians. In certain markets, the digital experience is supplemented with real-world support, as customers can sign up for in-store consultations and tours with these dietitians. This hybrid approach of high-tech and high-touch support lends the campaign significant credibility and practical value, positioning the grocery store as a trusted community health resource.

The Gamification of Groceries and Proven ROI

The success of the 28-Day Challenge hinges on its engaging, game-like structure. Participants earn tokens by completing daily challenges, which they can then redeem for a host of rewards, including free products like Signature SELECT Wheat Pasta, discounts on fresh produce and meat, and high-value coupons like $15 off a $75 purchase. Each completed challenge also serves as an entry into a sweepstakes for a $500 grocery gift card.

This gamified approach, engineered with TCC Global, has proven incredibly effective. The 2025 campaign saw a remarkable 40% increase in user participation and a threefold increase in the number of completed challenges compared to its previous iteration. This data validates the model, showing that customers are not only receptive to this form of engagement but are actively participating at an accelerating rate.

TCC Global, a multinational firm specializing in loyalty platforms that change shopper behavior, sees this as the future. “It’s gratifying to work with a retailer so dedicated to the wellbeing of their customers that they create and promote a marketing campaign like the 28-Day Challenge,” noted Julie Lyle, President North America for TCC Global. The partnership leverages TCC's expertise in behavioral science and gamification to ensure the program is not only fun but also effective at driving sustained habit formation.

A Growing Trend in a Health-Conscious Future

United's initiative is not happening in a vacuum. It is a leading example of how the retail sector is responding to a powerful convergence of trends: the mainstream adoption of AI, the growing consumer demand for personalization, and a societal shift toward prioritizing health and wellness. While many competitors are expanding their wellness product assortments, United is going a step further by building an interactive service layer on top of its retail operations.

The program's AI-driven verification sets it apart, offering a glimpse into a future where loyalty is earned through a demonstrated commitment to a customer's holistic well-being. By successfully blending digital innovation with genuine health expertise, The United Family is not just selling groceries; it is actively investing in the health of its community. This strategy redefines the role of the modern supermarket, transforming it into an essential partner in the daily lives and long-term goals of its customers.