Speaking at the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics FNCE in Houston in 2013, Barbara Ruhs, MS, RD, presented the topic of supermarket dietitians and their role in public health. Follow Barb on Twitter @EatSmartAZ to stay on top of the latest in retail health.

1. How Supermarket Dietitians
Build Bridges to Impact
Community Health
Barbara Ruhs
MS, RDN, LDN
Corporate Dietitian
Bashas’ Family of Stores
Phoenix, AZ
@EatSmartAZ

2. DISCLOSURES
Barbara Ruhs, MS, RDN, LDN
•
Advisor
– Oldways Supermarket Dietitian Symposium
•
Employee
– Bashas’ Family of Stores
•
Other
– Contributing Editor, Progressive Grocer Magazine (Stagnito
Media)
– Contributing Editor, Environmental Nutrition (Belvoir)

3. Audience Participation
FNCE 2013 – 5 Sessions Relating to the
topic of Supermarkets and RDs
Please identify yourself…
– Supermarket Dietitians
– Food Industry Dietitians
– Public Relations Dietitians
– Dietitians Interested in Opportunities
with Supermarkets
– Dietitians that like to shop 

4. Building Bridges to Impact Community Health
1.Recognize the impact of
supermarkets on public health
2.Learn about the varying roles of
supermarket RDs
3.Learn how RDs can work together to
impact community health*
*Focus: Food Industry & Research

5. Why Grocery Stores Matter:
A Public Health Perspective
“Grocery stores are uniquely positioned – in the
sweet spot between manufacturers and
consumers – to market nutritious products to
increase the appeal and affordability, and
perhaps de-emphasize those products that
are not nutritious.”
–James Marks, MD, MPH,
Sr. VP and Health Group Director,
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

6. Barbara Ruhs, MS, RD, LDN 2013
We Need A New Paradigm
Things I learned in my career as a
(supermarket) dietitian…
• Marketing products as “healthy” doesn’t
work …may have a negative influence on
purchases…
• Perceive “healthy” as tasteless and
expensive.
• Food industry partners can be part of the
solution
Twitter @EatSmartAZ

7. Another Reason We Need a New Paradigm

8. Healthcare vs. Retail
• How many of you visit or talk to your MD
more than 2 x per year?
• 21 million viewers
• Safeway
• Kroger
• Wal-Mart
44 million shoppers per week
68 million shoppers per week
150 million shopper per week
This is the power of retail…

9. The Power of Retail Supermarkets
Real Estate - 32,000 U.S. supermarkets –Nielsen,
2011
Routine - 2.2 average visits to grocery
store/wk– FMI, 2012
Relationships: Location is ranked #1, Time, 2102
Rewards: Price and loyalty promotions
influence shoppers.
-Dietitians Pay Off For Supermarkets (New York Times – Aug.
2012)

10. The Power of Retail: Food Industry
Leveraging the Power of Food Industry
Partnerships & Collaboration
Big Food, Big Data, Big Impact
• Shopper Analytics, Insights…Research!
– Nielsen, Spins, Spire, Catalina, custom loyalty
promotions
Ethical Concerns Need to Be Addressed

11. Example: Big Food (Ag), Big Data, Ethical
Research Collaboration
• Influencing Milk Purchase Behavior in Hispanics
–
–
–
–
–
The Food Trust
Bashas’ Family of Stores
Arizona State University
Catalina Marketing
The American Heart Association
• 100% Vegetable Oil vs. Soybean Oil
-United Soybean Board
-Nutrition at shelf edge, in-store radio, coupons, demos

12. The NEW Trusted Health Voice in Retail
Corporate Dietitian
-Nutrition Expert Advisor
-Strategic Initiatives
-Nutrition Labeling
-Spokesperson
-Marketing & Advertising
-Research Projects
-Food Industry Partnerships
Store-Based
Customer Service
-One-on-One
-Food Demos
-Employee Wellness
-Community Links

13. Oldways Supermarket Dietitian Symposium
Retailer Participants:
• Bashas’ Family of Stores
• Giant Eagle
• Price Chopper
• Wegman’s
• Marsh’s (Nash Finch)
• Kowalski’s
• Byerly’s
• Weis Markets
• Whole Foods
• Hy-Vee
• Meijer
• H-E-B
• United Texas
• Safeway
• Kroger
• King Soopers
• Albertson’s
• Balls Foods (Hen House)
• Fresh Direct
•Food for Less
•K-VA-T
• Save Mart
• Festival Foods
• Lowes Foods
• Ingle’s Markets
• Big Y
• ShopRite
• Sobeys (Canada)

14. Barbara Ruhs, MS, RD, LDN 2013
Impact Sales & Public Health
1. Weekly AD Promotions & Education
2. Nutrition Education Newsletters
3. Merchandising Displays for Health
4. Demo-Sampling & Culinary Education
5. In-Store Radio Marketing
6. Store Tours & Counseling & Events
7. Nutrition Labeling & POP Shelf Tags
8. Media Appearances
9. Community Events
10. Social Media
11. Research Collaboration
12. Oversee Dietetic Interns
Twitter @EatSmartAZ

15. Desirable Skills To Be A Supermarket Dietitian
•Advanced Practice Dietitian (5 + years)
• Experience in Public Health
• Strong Clinical Nutrition & Counseling Skills
• Media Savvy and Social Media Know-How
•Business Skills, Food Industry Experience, Strong Ethics!
• Entrepreneurial & Trouble-shooter
• Public Relations Background – Marketing, Advertising
• Food, Culinary, and Food Safety Expertise
• Diplomatic and Strategic-Thinking

16. How Supermarket RDs Can Help Bridge
Gaps in Community Health

17. Practice Applications…Bridging Gaps
For All Dietitians
• Reconsider the role of the supermarkets and the
food industry’s role in impacting community
health (“How Junk Food Can End Obesity – Atlantic Monthly, July/August
2013”)
For all RDs in Food Industry
• Seek to engage RDs in retail and community to
guide product development, marketing and
address ethical concerns.
For All Supermarket RDs:
• Measure and share results to have greater impact
– enlist support of research institutions

18. Building Bridges to Impact Community Health

19. Thank you!
Barbara Ruhs, MS, RDN, LDN
Corporate Dietitian
Bashas’ Family of Stores
Phoenix, AZ
E-mail: bruhs@bashas.com
@EatSmartAZ