NationsBenefits & Tops Friendly Markets partner to advance food as medicine access

Tops Friendly Markets Press Release & Graphic

NationsBenefits, a leading provider of supplemental‑benefit and health care‑fintech solutions, announced a new retail integration with Tops Friendly Markets. Through this partnership, health plan members can immediately use their NationsBenefits Benefits Mastercard prepaid card at all Tops locations to purchase fresh produce, pantry staples, and over‑the‑counter wellness essentials with each transaction validated in real time by NationsBenefits’ basket adjudication service (BAS).

“For more than 60 years, Tops Friendly Markets has anchored community health,” said Michael Parker, co‑CEO of NationsBenefits. “Integrating their stores into our supplemental‑benefit network brings healthier, benefits‑eligible foods within easy reach of families who once faced long drives or limited choices.”

Food insecurity remains a critical challenge, with nearly one in four New York adults, particularly in rural counties, lacking reliable access to nutritious food. Nationwide, nearly 19 million Americans live in low‑income, low‑access census tracts, often more than 10 miles from the nearest supermarket, while diabetes rates run up to 17% higher in rural areas than in urban centers.

By integrating our BAS at every Tops checkout, NationsBenefits transforms routine grocery trips into food as medicine opportunities, letting members redeem supplemental benefits on culturally familiar, locally sourced items. Our real‑time basket‑analytics engine captures each eligible transaction at checkout, delivering ZIP‑code-level purchase insights that enable health plans to fine‑tune benefits and launch precisely targeted community outreach.

"Feeding our neighborhoods well has always been at the heart of Tops," said Ron Ferri, president of Tops Friendly Markets. "By joining the NationsBenefits retail network, we can now place affordable, nutritious options directly in front of eligible shoppers at the very moment they fill their baskets."

Tops remains focused on delivering an exceptional experience rooted in fresh, high-quality products and services, and innovative programs. With a continued focus on meeting customers where they are, the company is helping support healthier lifestyles, simplify shopping, and make every trip to the store more rewarding.

“Tops Friendly Markets has been ensuring access to high-quality fresh foods and cutting-edge pharmacy services to generations of customers” said Ellie Wilson, M.S., R.D.N., F.A.N.D., manager of lifestyle and wellness for Tops. “We strive to innovate and explore how we can best serve shoppers seeking wellness options, with a spotlight on natural, organic and gluten-free items, partnerships with local produce farmers, and now, direct access to insurance benefits that empower healthy purchases.”

Peer‑reviewed research shows that medically tailored meals and broader food as medicine programs can cut annual hospitalizations by 47% while managing overall health care costs by 16%. Leveraging this proprietary BAS technology, health plans also gain real‑world, transaction‑level insights that illuminate nutrition gaps by geography or chronic‑condition cohort, guide ZIP‑code-specific preventive initiatives such as A1C screenings or dietitian consults, and power personalized rewards that reinforce healthy shopping habits, improve member experience and engagement.

Together, we’re transforming everyday grocery visits into measurable outcomes that improve the health and wellness of individuals.

The Benefits Mastercard prepaid card is issued by The Bancorp Bank, N.A., member FDIC, pursuant to license by Mastercard International Inc. Card can be used for eligible expenses wherever Mastercard is accepted. Valid only in the U.S. No cash access.

NationsBenefits is online at NationsBenefits.com.

Based in Williamsville, Tops Markets currently operates 152 grocery stores in New York, Pennsylvania and Vermont, including one that is run by a franchisee in Lewiston. For more information, visit www.topsmarkets.com.