How to help your customers eat more healthily

Many of us overindulge (to a greater or lesser degree) during the December festive season, so it’s not surprising that January brings with it many resolutions to eat more healthily and enjoy a lifestyle that our bodies will thank us for.

Dry January and Veganuary are just two of the food trends influencing customer purchasing at the moment. The problem is, eating more healthily is something many people feel is time consuming, expensive and difficult. But this doesn’t have to be the case. There are so many great products available now that are both good for you and really convenient too.

This is the perfect time of year to showcase as wide a range of these quick and easy healthy food options as possible. Making sure your store is well stocked with a tasty, tempting selection of healthy food options means you’re perfectly placed to help your customers make better eating choices – without feeling as though they’re missing out on choice and taste.  

As a premium independent retailer, you’ve no doubt noticed the distinct shift in customer preferences in recent years. Although January has always typically been a good month for moving encouraging volumes of healthy food, it’s also recently become the perfect time for retailers to capitalise on the needs of shoppers who are not only looking for products that are good for them, but that are good for the planet too.

The intersection of health and sustainability is fast becoming the sweet spot for savvy retailers wanting to cater for increasingly more conscious customers.

This is where products such as Doves Farm Ancient Grain cereals really hit the mark. Made from ancient grains like buckwheat, quinoa and teff, they are packed with flavour and kind to the environment. They’re also organic, high in fibre, and made with no artificial ingredients, refined sugars, or added salt. They make the perfect, feel-good breakfast option for busy customers on the go.

Another great range to look at is the Do Goodly selection of delicious dips. These are perfect to enjoy with freshly cut veggies and make an ideal back-to-the-office lunch option. We all know how easy it is to fall back on an unhealthy takeaway when we’re short on time, but these little packs of plant-powered goodness mean your customers always have something quick and easy to enjoy when hunger hits.

This really is the secret to capitalising on the boon in healthy eating at this time of year – making healthier options easier and more accessible for everyone.

The great thing is, you don’t have to be a “health food store” to take advantage of the upswing in demand for healthy food. You don’t even have to create a health food aisle, as this can easily be missed. It’s better to mix health-centred products around your store so they have a greater chance of being found by more consumers – even those who may not have been specifically looking for them.

Because unlike a few years ago, healthy eating is no longer a niche market – the messaging is everywhere, and the healthy products you offer should be too.

Of course, the more variety you offer in terms of product ranges, the more likely you are to appeal to the widest possible array of consumers. A great tip is to merchandise complementary products together, such as displaying Eat Real’s range of quinoa, lentils and veggie chips and Growers Garden Broccoli Chips next to Nexba’s refreshing Kombucha range, VitHit’s gorgeous vitamin, juice and tea drinks, or V8’s delicious vegetable juice.

Let’s be honest, in the dull grey days of January in the UK, what could be brighter and more cheering than a goodness-packed bottle of juice bursting with vitamins and vitality?

When faced with good-for-you choices like these, grabbing a bag of a crisps and a cold drink goes from being an unwise snack choice to a genuinely healthy option. Health-conscious customers are always looking for tasty alternatives to their favourite salt, sugar or fat-laden convenience foods. This is why more and more retailers across the UK are stepping up to make sure their shelves are full of exactly what their customers want.

And while we’re on the subject of adding brightness and warmth to cold winter days, Holleys has the ideal range of delicious, ready-to-eat soups and broths to chase your customers’ winter blues away. Baxter’s Super Good canned soups and Super-Licious tubs of soup are packed full of real ingredients and real goodness. With so many people plagued by colds and coughs at this time of year, a steaming bowl of Thai Vegetable Broth, Sweet Potato and Miso Soup or Bone Broth with Mushroom and Barley is exactly what the doctor ordered. Just heat, eat and feel better!

Of course, when it comes to healthy food choices, consumers are looking for more than just delicious snacks or light meal choices. They need quick and convenient dinner options too. This is why we’re thrilled to showcase Artisan Grains’ selection of nut roasts. They offer all the taste and goodness of a homemade, traditional nut roast but without all the hard work! Make sure you stock up on all three delicious variants – Mediterranean Sundried Tomato, Country Veg and Cashew, and Cashew Nut and Cranberry.

Of course, it's not news that what we put into our bodies has a direct and powerful effect on how we feel mentally and physically. This explains why, after a month of indulgence and excess, many of us don’t feel at our best right now. We’re craving food that’s clean, conscious and convenient, and it’s up to you, the retailer, to be ready to satisfy this craving.

From bakery and confectionery to world foods and snacking, Holleys offers over 4,000 products - including hard to find groceries, exclusive independent brands, regional produce, and complete ranges of well-known brands. You probably won’t find a wider range anywhere else – so why go anywhere else?

Act fast to make sure your shelves are full of delicious healthy options and keep your customers coming back for more – long after January is over.