NEWARK, DE - The Foundation for Fresh Produce is continuing its investment in health and wellness professionals through a series of fall events designed to strengthen connections, share practical insights, and inspire greater fruit and vegetable consumption. Now more than ever, consumers need to hear from trusted sources who can reinforce the importance of eating fruits and vegetables as the single most important thing they can do for their health.
Most recently, The Foundation welcomed 19 retail dietitians representing 18 retail organizations to its annual Retail Dietitian Immersion Event, held alongside the International Fresh Produce Association's (IFPA) Global Produce & Floral Show (GPFS) in Orlando, FL, October 13-16, 2026. The momentum continues next week as The Foundation joins thousands of food and nutrition professionals at the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics' Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo (FNCE), taking place October 24-27 in San Antonio, TX.
Together, these events reflect The Foundation's broader strategy to engage nutrition professionals across multiple points of influence, including retail, foodservice, public health, healthcare, media, and consumer communications, helping ensure fruits and vegetables remain central to conversations about health and wellbeing.
"Whether we're engaging retail dietitians at GPFS, connecting with nutrition communicators at FNCE, or providing educational resources year-round, our goal remains the same: equip trusted professionals with the tools, insights, and partnerships that help people eat more fruits and vegetables," said Emily Holdorf, MS, RDN, and influencer and community manager at The Foundation for Fresh Produce, in the recent release.
Building Connections at GPFS
For more than a decade, The Foundation's Retail Dietitian Immersion Event has provided retail dietitians with direct access to produce industry leaders, emerging innovations, consumer insights, nutrition research, and networking opportunities. The program creates meaningful connections between produce companies and the professionals who help influence consumer purchasing decisions every day.
This year's educational theme, "Produce That Connects: Culture, Value, Convenience & Trends," explored how evolving consumer expectations are shaping food purchasing decisions and what opportunities exist to elevate fruits and vegetables within those conversations.
Through customized education sessions, immersive experiences, networking opportunities, and pre-scheduled booth visits, participants gained insights into:
- Cultural food traditions and storytelling
- Consumer definitions of value beyond price
- Convenience solutions that support healthier eating habits
- Emerging consumer and retail trends
- Produce innovations and shopper engagement opportunities
The event also provided direct opportunities for dialogue between retailers and produce industry leaders, helping both groups better understand the needs, motivations, and challenges facing today's shopper.
“We were thrilled to sponsor this program for the first time, as it provided a valuable opportunity to connect with retail dietitians and introduce innovative products with exceptional nutritional value. Retail RDs play an important role in bridging the gap between nutrition and consumer choices, inspiring shoppers to discover new products and incorporate more fresh produce into their everyday lives,” said Alyna Cardenas, Marketing Manager at Malena Produce.
Registered Dietitians from the following retailers attended the 2026 event:
- Amazon/Whole Foods
- Big Y
- Coborn's
- Fresh Thyme
- Giant Food
- Harmon's Grocery
- H-E-B
- Inserra ShopRite
- Kroger
- Meijer
- Natural Grocers
- Redner's
- Stop & Shop
- United Supermarkets (Albertson’s)
- Wawa
- Wegmans
- Weis Markets
- Zallie ShopRite
Looking Ahead to FNCE
As conversations from GPFS continue, The Foundation is preparing to engage with nutrition professionals at FNCE, one of the world's largest gatherings of registered dietitians, nutrition communicators, educators, researchers, and healthcare professionals.
Throughout FNCE, The Foundation will showcase resources designed to help nutrition professionals encourage fruit and vegetable consumption and strengthen their own nutrition communication efforts. Activations at Booth #730 include:
- Distributing fruits and vegetables, all day, every day
- Offering Have A Plant® swag, including an exclusive FNCE attendee Have A Plant® t-shirt, designed with RDs in mind
- Have A Plant® consumer-facing recipes, toolkits, and educational resources designed for consumers and health professionals
- Professional nutrition education materials and continuing education opportunities
- Opportunities to connect with Foundation representatives and partners
A Year-Round Commitment to Nutrition Professionals
GPFS and FNCE are two of many opportunities throughout the year where The Foundation invests in health and wellness professionals through continuing education, networking, professional development, and evidence-based nutrition resources. These efforts support The Foundation's mission to grow a healthier world by increasing fruit and vegetable consumption and nurturing passionate produce champions.
For more information on The Foundation’s Have A Plant® programs or to engage with dietitians through events, visit www.freshproduce.com/foundation.
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International Fresh Produce Association
The International Fresh Produce Association is the largest and most diverse international association serving the entire…
