Independent food retailers have the opportunity to become the “community wellness champions.” Health and wellness will be key concerns of baby boomers, concerned mothers, and the Gen X & Y fitness fanatics. Baby boomers, a cohort group that worships youth, will present food retailers with a tremendous opportunity, as they attempt to fight the deleterious effects of aging. Obesity is a national epidemic affecting one-third of American men, women, and children. Concerned moms want to do their part in the fight against childhood obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Food retailers need to seize this opportunity lest we cede it to chain drugstores. We are the food people. Drug chains are the pharmacy people. Wellness is ours to own and to provide a point of positive differentiation to food shoppers.

Examples of activities that would foster the perception that their independent retailer is the “community wellness champion” include offering free screenings, health fairs, dietary advice, wellness programs, educational programs, community walks, recreation programs, foundation support, and merchandising programs. How about offering time starved parents or guardians easy-to-prepare, tasty, nutritional foods that can be assembled for lunch? This session is designed to be interactive. The goal will be to identify easy to implement, cost-effective ways of addressing the consumer desire for wellness.