In recent years, supermarket health and wellness programs — complete with nutritional shelf labeling and registered dietitians (RDs) — have grown significantly. Even though fish is a lean protein and boasts numerous health benefits, seafood is often curiously missing from retailers’ health education programs.
That’s starting to change, as the nutritional information about seafood filters into the mainstream. Certain supermarket chains are starting to routinely call out seafood’s health benefits in literature, signage, demonstrations and cooking classes.
“When you are presenting the real fresh product that contains beneficial nutrients, it’s a very short step to leveraging that in all your conversations, be that print, online or other avenues,” says Jay Jacobowitz, owner of retail consulting firm Retail Insights.
Take San Antonio, Texas-based HEB, which operates around 335 HEB and upscale Central Market stores. Several of its health education efforts — including tours and cooking classes with the chain’s six registered dietitians, newsletter and annual events — now feature seafood. “One of our main objectives is to increase consumption of both seafood and fruits and vegetables, and get people to try things they haven’t tried before,” says Kate Rogers, VP of communication and engagement for HEB.
Click here to read the full story that ran in the April issue of SeaFood Business >
