The Power of Health and Well-being: New Perspectives and Progress

By Krystal Register, MS, RDN, LDN, Senior Director, Health & Well-being, FMI

For the past few years, we have been talking about the grocery store as a destination for health and well-being. We have witnessed the entire food industry working diligently to keep shelves stocked and families fed, while also supporting customers on the path to achieving good health and nutrition benefits. We have seen renewed consumer interest in home-cooked family meals, well-stocked pantries, an increased use of frozen foods, new and exciting recipes, information shared on digital platforms, and the health benefits of different foods – from lentils to mushrooms to seafood. 

We now see a wider ecosystem of supermarket efforts that includes the full spectrum of health, well-being, prevention and self-care, from nutritious meal and snack solutions to biometric screenings and vaccinations. These advancements would not have been possible without the contributions of food retail registered dietitians and pharmacists working in sync with store merchants, leaders and executives. Ultimately, retailers and product suppliers are embracing this ecosystem by providing choice to both consumers and employees seeking personalized guidance and support.

This year’s The Power of Health and Well-being in the Food Industry report is released during a compelling time to be involved in issues around hunger, nutrition and health, as organizations across the country are banding together to work on solutions to improve food access and affordability and to reduce diet-related disease.

This report includes snippets from other key FMI research reports, including U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends, The Power of Meat, The Power of Seafood, The Power of Private Brands and The Power of Plant-Based Foods and Beverages to highlight evolving health perspectives across categories. The grocery store truly is becoming a destination for health and well-being, supported by Food as Medicine programs and initiatives that focus on the role that food plays in prevention and overall health, disease management and treatment, improvement of nutrition security and promotion of food safety.

This report highlights many of those initiatives, along with topics ranging from public policy to gene editing. We hope that you find inspiration in the key initiatives included and next directions presented. As we move forward together as an industry to meet consumers in the aisles and online, we look forward to continued conversation and collaboration on everything from front of pack labeling to family meals.

Download the power of Health and Well-being in the Food Industry