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When I started working in the grocery industry in 1990 there were only a few dietitians employed in supermarkets. I was pretty much at a loss but am very thankful for a handful of individuals who shared their knowledge, helped me navigate the retail waters, and motivated me in my new role. Jane Andrews from Wegmans was one of those dietitians.

My local grocery store recently went through a remodel. Even thought it’s been a few months now since the remodel completion, I still can’t find items when I shop. They’ve moved. All the aisles are reconfigured and products are now shelved differently. I find myself annoyed, seeing grocery shopping as more of a chore than ever before.

Don’t you just love it when someone asks for your opinions and insights?  

I’m always excited when I see retailers adding health and wellness and RD programs.  It showcases the commitment to helping shoppers live healthier lives in point-of-purchase environments.  As these programs launch, however, there are bound to be growing pains.  Retailers don’t often know what healthy living programs look like and RDs aren’t initially hired into the retailer at executive levels.  Growing pains.

Have you ever looked back at the past week and wondered, what have you’ve done with your time because the truly important tasks have not been completed? Or have you responded to a work or life situation and felt that you really weren’t being genuine or true to what you believe? These reactions can be exhausting and leave us feeling anxious to say the least. Stephanie Schultz, MSM, RDN, CD, Senior Director of Marketing and Communications for Skogen’s Festival Foods has experienced some of these situations on her path to leadership and discovered some important insights which have helped her manage the demands of life while being genuinely herself.

Eating habits across America continue to shift, with a recent Nielson survey showing that 39% of the population is actively trying to eat more plant-based foods. FoodNavigator-USA lists “plant-based innovation” as a top trend for 2018 (1). Food companies are responding with an increasing number of plant-based products taking up their fair share of the meat and dairy cases. 

The professional of dietetics is more than 90% female, skewing the culture in which many RDs historically work.  As you join the retail ranks, you’re quickly moved from a female-centric work environment to a male-dominated one.  To be successful in this culture, it’s essential to learn to navigate this environment.

Educational events centered around an entire food group allows you to drive traffic to different departments, promote the unique nutritional benefits of key foods, and highlight new items or private brand products. Such promotions also offer the opportunity to partner with key organizations who can support your efforts with content and resources. The Whole Grains Council (WGC) and Oldways, for example, has an entire program centered around whole grain sampling and many retailers are turning this day into a successful selling event.

The cool weather, colors, spices, seasonings, and abundance of harvest – Fall is a season both retailers and shoppers love!  Sign up today for our next Samplefest® which provides retail dietitians with consumer insights, product samples, resource materials and retail execution ideas that help shoppers take advantage of the flavors and nutrition of the Fall harvest.  To be sure you receive the Fall into Harvest Flavors Samplefest®, consider the following options:

Evolving how we eat and produce food to be more sustainable is critical to improving human health and the health of the planet.