Welcome message from Joan Driggs - Progressive Grocer & EnsembleIQ

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During this session, RDBA President & CEO Phil Lempert will discuss how retail RDNs can be more successful in their roles by maximizing internal and external partnerships as well as skills needed as an effective coalition builder.

In this session, RDBA Executive Director Annette Maggi, MS, RDN, LD, FAND will provide insight on how retail dietitians can manage suggestive selling and promotion of healthier foods at retail within the professional code of ethics. Managing shopper communication around topics with limited scientific support will be addressed.

Driving success in the business world requires that you have a unique and professional brand. This session will help attendees understand the importance of personal branding, how to think outside the retail RD box to develop an effective personal brand, the importance of an elevator speech, and roles of mentors vs. sponsors in personal brand development.

National Family Meals Month (September) has quickly proven to be triple-win, with retail dietitians clearly in center stage. Susan Borra, RD, Chief Health and Wellness Officer, Executive Director, FMI Foundation, highlights data that supports the societal and health value of family meals. She also shares success stories of RD-inspired programs that provide creative, healthy and tasty solutions for families, while bolstering customer loyalty and the bottom line for their retail banners and CPG and supplier partners.

How do the disruptors shaping the industry and the challenges that keep grocery executives up at night impact retail dietitians? Progressive Grocer’s Editorial Director Joan Driggs addresses technology, transparency, “grocerants” and regulatory issues, and what they mean to RDs.

RD's and supplier attendees will meet and connect during this speed networking activity. 

Today's consumers are more interested in the foods they eat than ever before, yet many struggle to find the nutrition information needed to make informed purchasing decisions.

 

In this session, Dagan Xavier Co-founder of Label Insight and Thea Bourianne RD, LDN and Food and Beverage Data Analyst at Label Insight will help attendees understand how they can unlock custom views of product data to power a variety of omnichannel health and wellness programs. Attendees will learn how generate consumer facing attribution that takes into account nutrient, ingredient, allergen, certification and marketing claim information for an entire product inventory, and transform it into tailored, contextual data for their customers.  

 

This attribution makes it easy to satisfy customers with targeted shopping lists based on customized dietary specifications, such as low FODMAP, nutrient dense, heart healthy, clean label, allergen free, low sodium, diabetic friendly or vegetarian. This level of customization empowers consumers, and ultimately builds greater trust and loyalty.

Introducing new foods to a little one is an exciting time for parents, but it can be overwhelming with many questions and concerns. This session will explore brand new 2016 research from Nestlé’s Feeding Infants and Toddlers Study (FITS), how the foods young children eat stack up to recommendations and where there are gaps. Tips and tools will be provided to help retail dietitians guide parents in their feeding decisions.

 

Join Leslie Bonci as she opens up about her tips and tricks for how to speak with shoppers about such sensitive and overlooked topics as bone heath, gut health and weight management. Leslie’s experience with professional athletes, college athletes and kids has taught her how to bridge the gap between the foods we eat and overall health benefits. Leslie’s strategies will help you start the conversation with shoppers that will help them make informed decisions about the groceries they choose, focusing on those that can help them bridge their own wellness gap.

Consumer behavior is changing the way food manufacturers and retailers perceive “wellness” in supermarkets. While such a surge in wellness is encouraging, it is important that retail dietitians distinguish the differences in health versus lifestyle-related messaging. In this session, we will identify and define various lifestyle-related claims, identify the challenges and benefits of promoting both a sustainable and nutritious diet, and identify strategies for effectively communicating nutrition and sustainability throughout perimeter and center store departments.

 

Rooms assignments will be handed out on-site. 

 

 

Networking dinner and awards presentation for the 2nd Annual Retail Dietitian Innovation Outreach Awards and the RDBA Retail Dietitian of the Year Award. 

 

2016 marked a major shift in attitudes toward added and hidden sugars and how they impact the health of Americans, particularly cardiovascular disease. In this educational session, Carol May, President, Wisdom Natural Brands and Barbara McFadden, President, McFadden/Gavender will discuss AHA, USDA, HHS, and FDA measures to curb the amount of added and hidden sugars consumed by the average American and what these guidelines mean to the manufacturer, retailer, and consumer. Attendees will also learn the impact of FDA-required changes to the Nutritional Facts panel on packaged foods.

Felicia Billingslea, Director, Food Labeling and Standards Staff, ONFL/CFSAN/FDA, discusses some of basic requirements of the new Menu Labeling regulations, as well as education and outreach efforts to encourage compliance. RDs will learn what menu labeling wll mean to their retail banner, and how they can use the guidelines to communicate with shoppers.

Progressive Grocer shares results of its exclusive research to learn the extent to which retail dietitians impact their shoppers, the health issues shoppers wrestle with and what messaging and support they are most interested in.