Key Takeaways:
- The Nutrient Density Alliance introduces guidelines for brands to substantiate claims about nutrient density linked to regenerative agriculture practices.
- This initiative, supported by the Soil & Climate Alliance and the Non-GMO Project, aims to bridge the knowledge gap among consumers, especially Gen Z, regarding the nutritional benefits of foods.
- The newly released white paper offers brands practical advice on communicating regenerative agriculture’s health outcomes to consumers.
- The Alliance emphasizes using established processes for developing nutrient claims, avoiding the need for new methodologies.
- Future recommendations will address nutrient density labeling for animal-derived products, with expected regulatory guidance from the USDA.
Connecting Soil Health and Nutrition
As consumer demand for healthy and sustainable food options surges, the Nutrient Density Alliance has unveiled a new set of guidelines aimed at helping brands effectively communicate the benefits of regenerative agriculture practices. Sponsored by the Soil & Climate Alliance and the Non-GMO Project, the Alliance seeks to underscore the link between regenerative agriculture, soil health, and human nutrition.
Bridging Consumer Knowledge Gaps
Recent trends indicate a growing interest among consumers, particularly the younger generations, in the nutrient content of their food, seen as part of a broader shift toward holistic well-being. Despite high interest, there’s a significant gap in understanding the concept of nutrient density — the ratio of nutrients to calories in food. The Nutrient Density Alliance’s white paper, “Engaging Consumers On Regenerative Agriculture: How Brands Can Integrate Nutrient Density for Top-line Growth,” aims to close this gap by providing brands with actionable strategies for highlighting the nutritional improvements offered by regenerative agriculture.
Practical Guidelines for Brands
Tina Owens, Managing Director of the Nutrient Density Alliance, emphasized the opportunity for brands to capitalize on consumer demand for nutritionally rich products. The white paper guides marketing, quality, and legal departments in developing accurate nutrient density information, identifying potential partnerships, and conveying the nutrition story of regenerative agriculture to consumers.
Streamlining Claims Development
The Alliance advises brands to utilize existing processes for creating nutrient claims, such as representative sampling and certificate of analysis procedures, to validate nutritional improvements. This approach simplifies the process for brands, enabling them to effectively convey nutrition outcomes on consumer packaging without the need for new methodologies.
Future Directions and Regulatory Guidance
With the regenerative agriculture movement gaining momentum — evidenced by a nearly 130% growth in companies adopting regenerative practices over two years — the Alliance plans to extend its guidance to include nutrient-density labeling for animal-derived products. Anticipating clear regulatory guidance from the USDA, the initiative aims to support brands in the animal agriculture sector to join this pre-competitive effort towards sustainable and nutritious food production.
Download the report here.
