Mar 12, 2014

The Tool Kit Titled "Hiring, Leveraging & Empowering Retail Dietitians" Will Help Employers Effectively Leverage the Expertise of Retail Dietitians

ARLINGTON, VA – March 12, 2014 –The Food Marketing Institute (FMI) and the Retail Dietitians Business Alliance (RDBA) today launched an online interactive tool kit to help retail employers better understand the role of retail dietitians in their stores.

The guide titled, "Hiring, Leveraging, and Empowering Retail Dietitians," is designed to help FMI members including retail CEOs, store managers, and human resources executives hire, train and empower retail dietitians. The FMI-RDBA tool kit provides retailers with information on how dietitians can have the most impact for their customers, businesses and overall public health.

"Hiring, Leveraging, and Empowering Retail Dietitians" includes detailed descriptions of retail dietitian’s roles, sample job descriptions, and guidance on aligning retail dietitian teams within the corporate structure based on the retail size and markets.

"FMI is committed to helping our members satisfy the health and wellness needs of their shoppers," says Cathy Polley, vice president of health and wellness at FMI and executive director of the FMI Foundation. "This tool kit provides FMI members with valuable corporate guidance that will positively impact customer loyalty and sales of better-for-you products."

"Retail dietitians are a filter of health information for customers and play an integral role in the store," says Phil Lempert, CEO of the Retail Dietitians Business Alliance. "In addition to the employer, this tool kit also can help retail dietitians better define their jobs within the corporate structure."

It’s estimated more than 500 retail dietitians are employed by grocers, with several hundred more working in a consulting capacity. The RDBA serves as the professional group to retail registered dietitians throughout the U.S. and is the first to offer retail business education programs that helps these professionals better understand the business of retail including trends, merchandising, working with suppliers and more.

In addition to online and in-person training at key events, RDBA provides opportunities through its newsletter, website, and special events for the community of retailers and dietitians to share information.

For more information about the "Hiring, Leveraging, and Empowering Retail Dietitians" tool kit, please visit the FMI Foundation website . For more information or to join RDBA, please visit the website at www.RetailDietitians.com.