Articles

It may be surprising to know that among the 25,000 food people that attended this year's Winter Fancy Food Show are quite a few who are scouring the show floor from the dollar store channel.

As nutrition communicators, retail dietitians may sometimes find it difficult to deliver sound nutrition advice amid a social media environment powered by click-bait. This situation can also be a struggle for large food companies who are trying to balance nutrition science with consumer trends. Nestle, the world’s largest food and beverage company, provides insights for how they navigate the complex task of combining shopper interest in trending media hype with sound nutrition science to create products that sell in your supermarkets.

Today, we’re pleased to announce the addition of two new podcasts, which are available for free listening and download on iTunes, Stitcher, and SoundCloud. Hosted by RDBA CEO Phil Lempert in his Lost in the Supermarket® podcast series, these podcasts are guaranteed to be of value to retail RDs.

The Retail Dietitians Business Alliance, in partnership with the California Walnut Board, is pleased to announce the launch of our latest EduTrac® - Fat vs. Fiction: Helping Consumers Understand Dietary Fat.  EduTracs are an online education tool, designed specifically for the retail dietitian to learn more about a relevant topic at his or her own convenience.

As research grows regarding the important role our gut has in keeping the body healthy, we are seeing many new food products and supplements, claiming to enhance digestive well-being. Retail dietitians need to be prepared to provide evidence-based guidance to both internal merchant teams who may be looking at new items and to shoppers as they navigate the store for gut health solutions. The following discussion points can be used for informing buyers and directing shoppers in food and pharmacy departments:

Food allergies have become pervasive in our culture. It was only 30 years ago that food allergies affected 0.75% of Americans and now nearly 5% of the population lives with them on a daily basis.

​​​​​​​Retail Dietitians often face consumers who believe anything but the facts when it comes to food and nutrition and this may be due in part to a lack of critical thinking skills.

I’m fortunate to have my own think tank of colleagues in my local area who challenge me to think about things differently and bring new ideas to the table.  At a recent breakfast with them, we shared a fascinating discussion on the peak-end rule, which promoted today’s article.  Here are five things you need to know about the peak-end rule.

Tell us about your experience in retail and how you came to live in the Philippines. My first job in retail was at Giant Food in Washington, DC as an In-Store Nutritionist. During that time, I became involved in the community, making connections with local food banks, as well at the city food council. That position made me realize I was passionate about sustainable food systems so I enrolled in an online master’s degree program in Sustainable and Resilient Food Systems through University of Wisconsin. So after, I started working for Whole Foods private brand in Austin, TX. I was on their product innovation team as a Nutrition Product Compliance Analyst. During that time, I was long distance from my now fiancé, who I met in DC. He does international development work and was assigned to the Philippines where I decided to join him.

The continued hype surrounding online shopping has put pressure on traditional grocers to expand their shopper offerings, with options like click-and-collect on the rise. But the broader way to compete with online giants like Amazon is to ensure true omnichannel shopper engagement.