Retail Dietitian Profiles

"I have always loved visiting grocery stores and seeing new products on the shelves.  When I learned that dietitians were working in stores, I knew it was the position I wanted to achieve in my dietetics career."

Currently I work as a Category Manager for Retail Nutrition Solutions, managing our retail dietitians in our five regions, consulting on product development projects for the Kroger brand, and working with our meal kit team to provide Dietitian Pick options.

Working with sick people made me realize the importance of food and nutrition as medicine.

I started with Schnucks in 2012, creating an in-store nutrition program in one store as a test concept.  In this role, I partnered with merchants and buyers to source healthier products, started a celiac support group, sought to engage customers in new ways through in-store nutrition events, and worked on company-wide nutrition marketing programs.

My role is to provide nutrition education, promote wellness for the associates, and keep our Dietitians Choice program updated.

Molly Hembree, RDN, LD, Retail RD Coordinator, The Little Clinic of Kroger, shares her story including her biggest challenge and what she wished she had known before starting a career as a retail dietitian.

​​​​​​​I was first exposed to retail dietetics from my shadowing experience with Hy-Vee dietitian Sarah Sortino, RD, LMNT.  I loved my time spent with her and loved the impact she was having on customers every day. I also loved the variety in her days. One day we would be teaching a kids' cooking class and the next we would be out in the community doing presentations to local businesses. I knew I wanted to be a Hy-Vee dietitian from that point. 

Beth Dokolasa, MA, RD, Natural Grocers answers questions about the challenges and specific things that have helped her move forward as a Retail Dietitian.

Did you know there were dietitians working in retail as far back as 1974?  At this year’s What’s in Store event, the Retail Dietitians Business Alliance took the lead from the 100-year celebration of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and featured a video of retail dietitian pioneers.

I began my Target career five years ago right after graduating college as a non-RD. I started as a coordinator on the Nutrition, Labeling & Regulatory Compliance team managing labeling related documentation, shadowing experts and taking the opportunity to learn everything I could about FDA and USDA regulations.