HOLLYWOOD, Fla. — The health aspect to the produce industry has evolved far beyond simply stating the beta carotene content in a carrot or touting the vitamin C in a clementine.
Produce retailers and suppliers are playing a more active role as consumers demand that their food do more for their overall well-being, said panelists at an education session at the Jan. 30-Feb. 1 Global Organic Produce Expo at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.
After all, food-as-medicine interventions “sit at the crossroads of nutrition and healthcare,” according to the American Society for Nutrition.
The panel was moderated by Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak, former president of Produce for Better Health Foundation.
“Certainly, the definition of health has significantly expanded,” she said, “whether we're talking about just the inherent health benefits of fresh fruits and vegetables or we’re talking about their helpfulness as it relates specifically to planetary health with a sustainability point of view, or even holistically — the overall health and wellbeing of a person, like mental health.”
Companies are appealing to shoppers’ desires for functional benefits and emotional rewards, as well as partnering with agencies for produce prescriptions and medically tailored meals.
Session panelist Lisa Coleman, director of healthy living at Giant Food and a registered dietitian and licensed dietitian nutritionist, said her staff uses an “all foods fit” approach, which seems to work well in the retail setting, even if most of the messaging is focused on fruits and vegetables.
“We are in the half-plate society, and we are all produce pushers,” Coleman said of the recommendation to fill half of your plate with plants.
Giant Food has a three-pronged approach to food as medicine:
- Health-focused merchandising: Partnering with merchants in communications and shopper marketing programs, helping with in-store displays, produce storytelling, and then embedding health into our loyalty programs and just driving sales.
- Education and outreach team: Customer-facing retail dietitians do consultations, nutrition store tours and anything from classes to community events. There’s a podcast called “Healthy Living by Giant,” and social media program. Popular class topics include food is medicine, mindful eating, sustainable eating and topics like gut health and mind health.
- Nutrition incentive solutions: Working with government agencies and health care organizations to incentivize health care. Giant Food is offering these benefits on loyalty cards, about $80 per month for fresh, canned and frozen fruits and vegetables.
“We’re really seeing that food retailers are becoming a core part of the health care system because that’s the way health care is going,” Coleman said.
Panelist Karen Falbo is director of nutrition education at Natural Grocers, which supports full-time nutrition health coaches in its stores. These coaches provide one-on-one sessions and in-store classes, she said. They build relationships with stakeholders in their communities, such as practitioners, doctors, chefs, schools and many different health and wellness programs.
“The nutrition health coach is there to individualize the approach,” Falbo said. “People have different circumstances and different barriers and obstacles to really living healthy lifestyles and consuming more fruits and vegetables.”
Shoppers look at health in a broader and deeper way these days, said panelist Daniella Velazquez de Leon, general manager at Organics Unlimited, a woman-led organic banana grower and wholesaler.
“Today’s consumers are really invested in knowing what they’re putting into their bodies, what kind of ingredients they’re going to need. Not only that, but who grows their food, how it was grown and where it was grown,” Velazquez de Leon said.
“In that aspect, I think that we're very well positioned, especially in this subset of our industry where it’s no secret that bananas have a dark history," she said. "Since day one, we've been really big advocates for the good that comes from the organic movement, not just from a health perspective but also from an environmental and social one.”
Organics Unlimited has been committed to paying fair prices to growers, ensuring fair wages and benefits go to workers and providing more than $3 million in programs, like dental and health clinics, malnutrition-covering programs and scholarships to workers.
“It’s to help break the cycle of poverty in our communities,” she said. “All of this to say, I think we’re very well positioned to be that affordable, healthy on-the-go snack that’s connecting with consumers on a deeper level than just a commodity.”
The panelists emphasized that food isn’t a replacement for medicine but lays the groundwork for health and is a critical key in prevention and complementary approaches.
“Also, there's money here,” Reinhardt Kapsak said. “And I think that's important for everybody to recognize that there’s potential for increasing product sales or getting your products in the hands of others.”