Articles

I was recently invited, by the Retail Dietitian Business Alliance (RDBA), to speak at their annual Retail Dietitian Exchange. This is an annual event which brings together the membership of the RDBA to exchange “best practices” utilized among its registered dietitian membership in the grocery industry. The RDBA was founded by Phil Lempert, aka “The Supermarket Guru” seven years ago with the mission to “foster the continuing business education and career development of current and future retail dietitians.”

The second of five meetings of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee took place last week, continuing discussion on key topics and points of interest. Within the committee, there are six subcommittees addressing specific topics and following prescribed protocols.

One of the biggest challenges for a retail dietitian is to successfully communicate how their role has a positive impact on the business. Although this may be difficult it is not impossible - if you understand your corporate retail goals and what metrics you should track to show alignment and value. For this reason, a personal profit and loss statement (P&L) can be used to account for how your individual efforts contribute to the department and your company during a certain period of time. Often referred to as a “financial report”, these statements convey the current financial impact of your work and can also help predict the future.

Summer is officially in full swing, bringing warmer weather and longer days. With the change of season, your shoppers may be looking for refreshing options to stay cool. Nothing beats the heat like smoothies that also provide a way to enjoy nutrition at home or on-the-go. 

​​​​​​​I’m an in-store dietitian covering three locations in Nova Scotia, Canada. In my role, I provide a full range of nutrition services, including individual consultations, private “Shop with the Dietitian” sessions, group nutrition workshops and tours.

In your role as a retail dietitian, it is important to have an understanding of key retail finance terms so you can analyze corporate financial statements, know what the overall health of your company is and recognize where your retailer’s strengths and weaknesses are. This information can also help you identify the areas where your work provides value and assist you with defining meaningful measures of success. Let’s start with this basic finance terminology:

Whether your customers are interested in eating a more plant-based diet, focused on brain health, or simply want flavorful meal ideas with a nutritional punch, we have you covered. Use the videos below to help educate shoppers about these top food trends and show them how eggs fit into almost every nutritious dietary pattern. 

Emotional intelligence has become known for its correlation to success in work, to motivation and to personal well-being. In business, high-EQ people have become desirable to employers due to the various advantages they bring. For managers, emotional intelligence allows them to better understand and motivate their team. Here are some ways to increase your emotional intelligence:

As a retail dietitian, there are multiple benefits to paying attention to these headlines – you’ll see what your executives see and can provide your take on industry movements, you’re positioned to ask for new program funding based on marketing dollars being allocated to projects at other retailers, or you may be able to expand your program based on new roles at other retailers.

Like many registered dietitians, I never expected there would be a time in my career when I would be called upon to answer wellness-related questions about shampoo, lotion, or soap. But given the recent surge in consumer concern over topical product chemicals, we’re the most readily accessible resource for our retailers and shoppers, so it’s no surprise that these inquiries are now falling on our desks.