How to adopt an in-store healthy eating program

When Whole Foods Market CEO John Mackey famously declared in 2009, “We sell a bunch of junk,” his statement galvanized the giant natural foods chain to reestablish itself as a center for health. The next year, in addition to adding a wellness-focused addendum to its mission statement, the Austin, Texas-based chain launched a healthy-eating campaign that included a wildly successful 28-day vegan diet challenge based on Rip Esselstyn’s book, The Engine 2 Diet (Wellness Central, 2009). At Whole Foods stores across the nation, more than 5,000 people signed up for the Engine 2 Challenge, eager to ditch animal products and refined oils and sugars from their diets in hopes of dropping pounds and improving overall health. Since its inception, the challenge continues to gain steam.  

“We’ve found that people are essentially starving for information about healthy eating, and they’re ready to make changes,” says Dani Little, Whole Foods’ national Engine 2 program director. “Throughout the challenge, we have weekly meet-ups where I pass out healthy recipes and samples and offer cooking demonstrations. The goal is to give people tools to instill healthy eating patterns throughout the year.”

The popularity of Engine 2, as well as of similar in-store healthy-eating initiatives hosted by other grocers, spotlights a can’t-miss opportunity for natural products retailers: to become a trusted resource in helping shoppers achieve their weight-loss goals. In addition to implementing diet plans, many retailers are inviting registered dietitians to hold weight-loss classes on-site. “I am thrilled that so many supermarkets are adding in-store RDs,” says Bonnie Taub-Dix, RD, author of Read It Before You Eat It (Plume, 2010). “Everything you need to lose weight and stay healthy is on those shelves.”

But healthy-eating challenges and on-site RDs are just a few of many ways in which retailers can help their customers achieve their weight-management goals, says Keren Gilbert, RD, founder of decisionnutrition.com, a website focused on mindful eating, fitness and healthy living. “As a retailer, you’re able to foster the sense of community that’s so integral to helping people make major lifestyle changes,” she says. “You’re also able to introduce products to consumers and hopefully encourage new shoppers to come to your store.”

Even though mainstream grocers such as West Des Moines, Iowa-based Hy-Vee and San Antonio, Texas-based H-E-B have stepped up efforts to provide weight-loss assistance to consumers, natural products stores should have a leg up on the conventional competition. “Naturals retailers are already considered centers for health.” Gilbert says. “Now the opportunity lies in promoting this idea even further with a structured approach.”