PHILADELPHIA, PA - We all know that health is an important aspect of life, but sometimes we forget to check in with our bodies to make sure we’re actively staying healthy. So, when events that focus on pursuing that comes along, the industry jumps on board. On October 26, the Retail Dietitians Business Alliance (RDBA) in partnership with Fleishman Hillard hosted What’s In Store, an event geared toward retail dietitians, the people working on the front lines to ensure that shoppers find that healthy balance. Limoneira was able to partake in this massively successful event and benefitted from the discussions, networking, and resources available to colleagues across the country.

“We were excited to hear from the 50 plus retail dietitians that attended the What’s In Store event. They are passionate about their work and were happy to hear how Limoneira can support their efforts,” John Chamberlain, Vice President of Marketing at Limoneira, shared with me from his day at the event. “Retail dietitians are on the front lines in the effort to get grocery shoppers—and consumers in general—healthy.”

RDBA serves as the professional group to the more than 800 retail dietitians throughout the U.S. and Canada that work for or consult to supermarket chains, helping customers and employees with food, culinary, and nutrition issues.

“Because most buying decisions are made at the point-of-purchase, retail dietitians can have a direct impact on healthier food options ending up in the grocery cart,” Annette Maggi, MS, RD, LD, FAND, and Executive Director of RDBA, said. “This event provides an opportunity for companies like Limoneira to partner with these retail health influencers for positive health and business outcomes.”

The organization’s mission is to foster the continuing business education and career development of current and future retail dietitians because it believes retail dietitians are uniquely positioned to profoundly impact public health while at the same time supporting the business of food retail. And Limoneira took note. The company’s new app, The Produce Department is Nature's Pharmacy™—part of Limoneira’s campaign, Take A Healthy Stand™— was featured prominently to much appreciation.

“At Limoniera, we know that good health and maintaining balance continues to be important to all of us, and that produce and citrus can be critical to this balance,” said Harold Edwards, President and CEO of Limoneria. “We understand that people are busy and looking for solutions that are easy to incorporate into their busy lives, and The Produce Department at Nature's Pharmacy app does just that.”

Limoneira cross-tabulated 57 health concerns (such as the need to increase good cholesterol, prevent cardiovascular disease, or ease insomnia) as well as desired outcomes (including improving energy levels or reducing wrinkles) with 74 fruits and vegetables commonly found in grocery stores. These items contain essential vitamins and minerals that address these concerns or help with desired outcomes. By selecting a concern or outcome, the app then generates foods in the produce aisle that can help consumers achieve their health goals.

“The app is just one of several educational platforms to be launched as part of Limoneira’s new Take a Healthy Stand platform, which showcases the many ways that citrus and produce can play a role in helping to alleviate serious health issues and enhance personal appearance and wellbeing,” John explained. “The foundation underpinning Limoneira's Take A Healthy Stand is consumer-friendly messaging supported by research by the Institute of National Health and other objective organizations.”

Essentially, the app is pretty much a game changer: By consuming all the health benefits right at the source, shoppers will be able to focus more on their shopping needs. This convenience is available at their fingertips, thanks to the app, right in the produce aisle.

“The Produce Department is Nature's Pharmacy and Take a Healthy Stand are important components of the Food as Medicine movement taking hold nationwide,” said Megan Roosevelt, a Limoneira nutritionist and Founder and CEO of Healthy Grocery Girl®. “Food as Medicine maintains that fresh, healthy produce such as lemons can help avoid an expensive and perhaps less effective trip to the grocery department's supplement aisle.”

The app can be found on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. For the latest in produce meets tech, keep reading ANUK.

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