Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities--Grant County, NM

FOOD VENDOR ASSESSMENT SURVEY (Instructions and

Tips)
BEFORE YOU SURVEY THE STORE
Contact the store owner or manager at least three days before to let
them know you what day and approximate time you will be surveying
the store. If you are only able to speak to a store employee, ask that
they pass along the message to the store manager and that a letter
explaining the survey process was recently mailed to them.
UPON ARRIVING AT THE STORE
Fill in as many sections for Part I of survey that require you to look at
the outside of the store either before entering the store or after exiting
the store.
Ask a store employee (at customer service kiosk or main checkout
area) if the store manager or owner (where appropriate) is available to
speak to. Introduce yourself and briefly explain why you are visiting
the store.
[Example: Hi, my name is Andrea Sauer. I am a volunteer with
the Grant County Community Health Council for the Healthy Kids,
Healthy Communities initiative. I am here today to survey your
store for the Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities assessment. Is
the store manager or owner available? (If not.) Could you
please give him/ her a copy of this letter explaining the purpose
of this study? He/ She should have already received a copy, but
in case he/ she didnt, here is an extra for you to keep. I will be
looking at the cost, availability, and quality of certain goods and
services as they relate to childhood obesity. The survey process
will not disrupt your regular business and I would happy to
answer any questions you might have. Thank you.]
Provide a copy of the letter sent to the store owner or manager
explaining the purpose of the survey.
PART I: STORE CAPACITY, AMENITIES, AND INFRASTRUCTURE
The purpose of Part I is to understand particular qualities about the store that
make it attractive for people to shop there. The following survey questions
ask you to describe the stores hours of operation, advertisements,
accessibility (parking), size (square footage), capacity to sell refrigerated or
frozen items (number of cold storage units), amenities and services (other
than common grocery items), forms of payment, and proportionate
availability of certain goods.
1. Indicate the stores hours of operation: These will likely be listed on the outside of the
store near the front entrance or on the stores website.
Questions? Contact HKHC Coordinator Andrea Sauer, 575-388-1198 ext. 22 / asauer@grmc.org

Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities--Grant County, NM

2. Briefly describe the signage visible outside the store: Most stores have many signs
advertising certain products, sales, or special deals. You do not have to record all the signs.
Choose one to three signs that are either the largest, most visible, colorful, or eye-catching.
Record what products are being advertised and why you chose it (size, visibility, color etc.).
3. Store capacity (circle or write in answers where applicable): These survey items are
particularly tricky. You may not know the exact number of parking spots, the stores square
footage, or number of cold storage units. Approximate the best you can and write notes in the
margin of anything you are unsure about. You may also use the back of the survey to draw maps
or diagrams if it will help clarify the question. For example, you may want to draw a map
showing the approximate location of cold storage units or store parking.

Estimated number of parking spots: Parking spots are defined as a space where a car can
park. This may not necessarily be a defined space with painted lines, but could also be
street parking directly adjacent to the store.

Approximate square footage of store: Use your best judgment to answer this question.
Walmart, for example, may be more than 10000 square feet whereas a Snappy Mart may
be 500 feet or less.

Approximate number of refrigerated or frozen (cold) storage units: Use your best
judgment; count exact number of units if you have time.

Approx. location of cold storage units: Drawing a map may be useful to clarify this
question.

Is there space available for additional small cold storage units? Cold storage units come
in many sizes (mini-refrigerator by the checkout stand to large storage case for fruits and
vegetables). The space does not necessarily have to be large to accommodate additional
storage. You may want to indicate whether there is ample space or only a small amount
of space available to expand cold storage facilities.

4. What major products and services does the store offer? Check all that apply.
The purpose of this checklist is to inventory the general goods and services the store offers to its
customers. Check the item if the store offers any one or more product or service associated with
that item. For example, if the store offers any type of meat, check the line item next to meat.
There are many items on this list, so familiarize yourself with each item before you conduct the
survey. Items are alphabetized to help you sort products and services.
All of the goods and services listed must be available to the customer without having to exit the
store. For example, the store may have a McDonalds inside of it that customers can eat at while
continuing to shop. A few exceptions include newspaper stands, ATMs, and gas stations attached
to the stores property. If line item has only one product or service available, circle that service
or product only, e.g., store only sells books but no gifts or cards. Check that line item and circle
books.

Questions? Contact HKHC Coordinator Andrea Sauer, 575-388-1198 ext. 22 / asauer@grmc.org

Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities--Grant County, NM

Delicatessen: Also known as a deli, a delicatessen is a service provided by the store that
sells prepared goods such as sandwiches, unlike a caf or restaurant which may be owned
or operated by a separate company.
Hardware supplies: Hammers, tools, shovels, nails etc.
Packaged snacks: Chips, pretzels, candy, or any other snack that has been processed and
prepared outside of the store.
School or office supplies: Notebooks, pens, paper, markers, tape, paper clips, push pins
etc.
Self-serve snacks/ drinks: Soda fountains, hot dog machines, nacho station etc.

5. Does the store sell locally produced food? Check all that apply. Pay special attention to
local fresh fruits and vegetables, but you may also find other items such as local salsa, tortillas,
and eggs to report. For some stores, there may be quite a few locally produced itemslist as
many as you can.
6. Does the store sell any of the following types of alcohol? Check all that apply. Light beer
refers to beer with reduced calories. Light beer will be labeled light on the product itself.
Distilled spirits include alcoholic drinks that are at least 80 proof (40% alcohol content) such as
rum, whiskey, gin, or vodka.
7. What percentage of the stores goods are the following? Circle approximate percentage.
Estimate what percentage of the overall products sold in the store account for each of the items
listed. Circle the percentage range closest to your approximation.

Prepared foods (grab-n-go): Any food item that was prepared in the store and is ready to
purchase. Examples may include deli items, baked goods, sushi, etc.
Packaged foods: Any food item that was prepared outside of the store and is ready to
purchase.
Examples may include: chips, pretzels, candy etc.
Fresh produce: fresh fruits and vegetables

8. Which of the following forms of payment does the store accept? Check all that apply. Ask
cashier if necessary.
WIC: (Women, Infants, and Children) is a federal food and nutrition assistance program
funded by the US Dept. of Agriculture. WIC participants receive a monthly check,
voucher, or EBT card that can be used in select stores.
Store credit: An agreement between the customer and store owner whereby a customer
can open a tab and pay off their store bills at a later date. This form of payment is not
as common as it once was.
PART II: HEALTHY FOOD AVAILABILITY, COST, AND QUALITY
The purpose of Part II is to understand the availability, cost, and quality of
particular healthy food items. Follow each category line by line while paying
attention to the desired quantity of each item. When selecting and pricing
items contained on store shelves, always select the least expensive item
available.
Questions? Contact HKHC Coordinator Andrea Sauer, 575-388-1198 ext. 22 / asauer@grmc.org

Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities--Grant County, NM

If an item is on sale, check to see if the sale price is the cheapest or if

there is another item that is cheaper. Choose the least expensive item.
If you choose the sale item, record an S beside the price.
Always make sure that you look at generic or store brands in selecting
the least expensive food item.
If you come to a bulk food section, make sure you check the bulk per
pound or per unit price to packaged foods found in other aisles, and
select the least expensive.
If unit pricing is available, always use the unit price code to select the
cheapest food item in the appropriate package size.
Record the price item based on the survey question. For example, if
you are asked to record price of a pound of green and the store sells
them by the piece, you will have to calculate how many green peppers
are in a pound and then convert the piece price to that of a pound.
Example:
1 green pepper costs .50 cents. 3 peppers weigh one pound.
Therefore, 1 pound of green peppers costs $1.50.
3 peppers (1 pound of peppers) * .50 cents each = $1.50

Quality Standards:
o Fresh produce:
Good= Few or no blemishes, shiny, pleasing in appearance
Average= Some blemishes, but still edible
Poor= Heavily damaged, bruised, rotten, or moldy
o Canned, frozen, packaged and other foods:
Good= Little damage, packaging still fully intact
Average= Moderately damaged, dented, or torn but still
edible
Poor= Severely damaged, dented, or torn; leaking, product
exposed (if packaged), product expired

See handout for instructions on missing items and substitutions. If you

do make a substitution for the product or quantity, record the
substitution in the margin.
If an item is not available at all, in any package size, and is not usually
stocked by the store, record an NA in the column labeled Reg.
Price.

HELPFUL TIPS
Wear comfortable shoes
Bring a calculator
Questions? Contact HKHC Coordinator Andrea Sauer, 575-388-1198 ext. 22 / asauer@grmc.org

Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities--Grant County, NM

You may ask the store employee or managers questions, but keep the
questions to a minimum. Some things you may need to ask a store
employee include:
o Acceptable forms of payment (WIC, Store Credit, Cash Only etc.)
o Where a particular item is located
o Availability of a particular item, if you are unsure whether the
item is carried in the store at all.
If you really are unsure about a part of the survey or there is a pressing
problem, you may contact Andrea on her cell phone.

CLOSING PROCEDURES
After the data have been collected, check to ensure that all items are
completed on the survey form. You do not necessarily have to follow the
order of the survey questions. In other words, you can come back to a
certain item or survey question as you go along. Checking off items as you
go along is a good way to make sure that you dont miss anything. Thank
the store manager (or employee) for allowing you to survey the store, and
make sure that you have the store managers name so that Andrea Sauer
can send a thank you note after you completed the survey.
Store all surveys in the green folder and return to Andrea when all stores you
have been assigned to have been completed.

Questions? Contact HKHC Coordinator Andrea Sauer, 575-388-1198 ext. 22 / asauer@grmc.org