Last month, leaders from across 12 countries and numerous sectors came together to redefine the evolving role that retail plays in healthcare. Hosted by Kroger Health, the Nourishing Change conference brought together experts from retail, consumer packaged goods, healthcare, tech, and policy to discuss a new path forward led by innovation, access, and equity.
Creating better outcomes together
At a time when the U.S. spends more on healthcare than any other developed country, how can the system be simpler, smarter, and more responsive to the people it’s meant to serve? Kroger Health asked this exact question when thinking about retail’s role in proactively shaping the future of care.
From making healthier choices when purchasing groceries to picking up a prescription and getting advice from a pharmacist, retailers are a place where small changes can make a big difference.
“When I worked as a pharmacist in stores, I saw what one moment—one honest, unhurried conversation—could do for someone’s health,” Colleen Lindholz, president, Kroger Health, said to a cross-functional group of experts during the opening of the Nourishing Change Conference. “Sometimes it meant helping a patient see how their food choices could affect their blood sugar. Sometimes it was walking them through how to take a new medication, so they didn’t feel overwhelmed. That kind of trust still matters.”
Putting people first
When it comes to people’s health, the stakes are too high to either become paralyzed by the complexity of the problem or sit back and wait for change.
Informed by their everyday experiences, executives from several retailers—Ahold Delhaize USA, H-E-B, Hy-Vee, Instacart, Kroger, Meijer—took the stage during the Nourishing Change Conference to share their bold strategies for impact.
“We were intentional about who we invited into this space, including both longtime collaborators anddirect competitors,” Lindholz explained. “When the goal is better health, we need to put the customers and patients first. That’s how we make the biggest impact. We may come at these challenges from different angles, but we all share the same goal: to create something better for the people we serve.”
Starting a Retail Health movement
How people address their health isn’t confined to one sector, which is why the Nourishing Change Conference brought together everyone from emerging brands and established retailers to healthcare professionals and policy makers. That broader perspective—and collective experience—provided a more holistic view on the interconnected roles each group plays in shaping the future and improving outcomes for large populations.
“This is more than just a conference—it’s a movement,” said Jim Kirby, chief commercial officer, Kroger Health. “A gathering of thinkers, doers, leaders, and innovators, all here with one shared mission: To drive transformative, measurable change in the way we connect and create impact in our communities.”
Building for the future
For many people, preventive care starts by making better choices in grocery aisles. That’s why Kroger Health invited 40 emerging brands to compete for a coveted opportunity: distribution in up to 500 Kroger stores. True to the spirit of the conference, these innovators engaged with industry leaders and decision-makers from across different sectors to share how their products are providing healthier choices for customers.
Three winners were selected to receive on-shelf placement in Kroger stores, alongside strategic support to help accelerate their growth:
- Free AF, from AF Drinks, are a range of sophisticated non-alcoholic cocktails that taste and feel like the real thing. All AF drinks contain a secret proprietary Afterglow, a 100% natural botanical from New Zealand that gives you that tingly feeling and the warmth of drinking alcohol, without the alcohol.
- Harken Sweets is flipping the script on candy bars. Harken makes nostalgic treats out of unexpected ingredients—date caramel, oat milk chocolates—that taste like the classics but are better for your body.
- Hiyo is on a mission to rethink the way the world drinks by creating a movement to unwind in a healthier way. Organic adaptogens, natural nootropics, and functional botanicals provide a stress-relieving, mood boosting lift Hiyo calls “the float.”
Measuring retail health outcomes, evolving for success
Rising healthcare costs, fewer primary care providers, and pharmacy closures are creating issues across the industry. However, they have also led to new ways of operating and collaborating. Expanding pharmacy services, focusing on value-based care, and developing a better understanding of non-medical factors affecting health—these are key tactics in improving health outcomes. New tech and innovation, such as GLP-1s, are enhancing wellness for large segments of the population and this trend will only continue as players from all sectors coordinate their efforts.
“This conference is about redefining retail health and building a foundation for real change,” said Kirby. “Not theoretical. Not someday. Change that’s specific, measurable, and possible right now. The solutions are out there, and we will find them together.”
Advantage Solutions collaborated with Kroger Health to produce the Nourishing Change Conference.
“Nourishing Change is a movement. We’re proud to help spark the bold ideas and cross-sector collaboration that drive real-world impact,” said Marie Montelibano, senior director of business development for Advantage Solutions. “Change doesn’t happen in a silo. It starts here—with leaders willing to show up, step in, and build something better together.”
Contact Marie Montelibano to learn more and be part of the change.
