South Plainfield, NJ—WholeFoods has announced a partnership with Cornerstone For Natural, a business management software and enterprise resource planning solutions company, and creator of ELI Codes. Created in 2018 by Ron Klein, the ELI Code technology can be placed on digital or print media, connecting consumers more closely with brands that interest them. Comparable to QR Code technology, ELI Codes are based on UPC numbers, and when scanned by a smartphone, they link to valuable content including images, nutritional information, ingredients, allergens, certifications, weights, dimensions, and more.

Scan this WholeFoods code with your smart-camera!


First in the industry to offer the added value of ELI Codes to print advertisers in the Natural space, WholeFoods readers can now engage with content in a completely new way.  “We are excited to be able to offer our customers and readers this new and innovative option,” says Heather Wainer, Publisher, WholeFoods Magazine. “ELI Codes are a perfect way to bring print to life, delivering the reader a wealth of valuable, targeted information. What might take multiple pages to explain, can now be linked right in the code. And with COVID-19, connecting with brands is more important than ever.”

To engage with the code, readers with smartphones can hold up their camera to the code, and an internet link will pop up. It’s as simple as that, and readers can try it right now.

WholeFoods Magazine advertiser Childlife Nutrition is utilizing ELI codes. “We are excited to utilize this technology to enhance the consumer experience in 2021,” said Karyn McCarthy, VP of Sales + Marketing at Childlife. The code will serve as a new marketing strategy for Childlife’s prospective customers and brand following.
Related: The Natural View: How Retailers, Brands, and Suppliers Can Gain a Competitive Edge with ELI Codes ELI Codes: New Innovation Boosts Safety, Spreads Information
“Communicating rich product content, especially when you are not face-to-face with trading partners is important—especially right now,” adds David Williams, Cornerstone’s EVP of Business Development. “We recognize that our solution will be in more demand now than ever before.”