By Stacy Bates, MS, RDN, SPAN Health Strategies
Emerging food brands often hire separate experts for nutrition, marketing and sales. The problem is that these decisions depend on each other. A formulation choice affects which claims you can make. Your claims shape your positioning. Your positioning determines which retailers and shoppers you can win.
The right consultant connects those pieces. Here's what to look for.
1. Credentialed nutrition expertise
Look for a registered dietitian, food scientist or equivalent credential, not just a wellness background. You need someone who can read the evidence, review your nutrition profile and tell you plainly where the product is strong and where it isn't.
2. Real retail and commercial experience
Nutrition knowledge alone won't get you on shelf. Ask whether the consultant has worked inside a retailer, with category managers or with brokers. They should know how buyers evaluate new items and what a category review looks like.
3. Claims and regulatory awareness
Health and nutrient claims follow specific rules. A good consultant flags claims risk early, before packaging is printed, and knows when to bring in regulatory counsel.
4. A plan for each stage of growth
Needs change as you grow:
Concept and formulation. Before you design the package, make sure the nutrition profile supports the story you want to tell. A protein or fiber claim only works if the product qualifies for it.
Launch. Choose the channel and retailer that fit both the product and the shopper. A natural-channel launch, a regional grocer and e-commerce each call for different pricing, packaging and messaging.
First retail partners. Getting on shelf is only the start. The work now is earning velocity, the sales rate per store, so the item keeps its spot at the next category review.
Scale. Growth depends on credibility. Building trust with dietitians and other health professionals, and showing results to new retailers, helps a brand expand beyond its first accounts.
5. Credibility with health professionals
Dietitians and other qualified health professionals influence what shoppers buy. A consultant with professional relationships can help you build education programs that earn trust.
Questions to ask before you hire
What brands have you helped launch or grow, and what changed?
Have you worked on the retailer side?
How do you handle claims review?
Do you work on projects, on retainer or in a fractional role?
About SPAN Health Strategies
SPAN Health Strategies is led by Stacy Bates, MS, RDN, former Director of Nutrition Strategy at H-E-B and a Progressive Grocer Retail Dietitian of the Year. Our team also includes a former food broker, communications expert, and a former category manager. We help emerging food brands connect nutrition science, positioning and commercialization through project work, retainers and fractional leadership. Contact us to talk about your brand.