Most NII members work for one of three types of employers:
Catering and Foodservice: from wholesalers such as Brakes and Bidfood who supply food to independent caterers; to catering companies supplying to schools, leisure centres, offices and hospitals such as Sodexo and Compass; to restaurant chains such as McDonalds.
Manufacturers: a wide range of food and pharmaceutical manufacturers that produce anything from baby foods to food supplements, dietetic foods to household groceries such as Allied Bakeries, Britvic Soft Drinks, Coca Cola, Danone, Nestlé and Premier Foods.
Retailers: major supermarkets and pharmacy chains such as Boots, Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose.
Nutritionists may also be employed by public relations companies to work with clients in the food industry, as well as by health and weight loss organisations, or trade and industry organisations such as the British Nutrition Foundation and IGD.
Whilst most nutritionists are employed directly by a company, others work on a freelance basis for one or more food industry clients.
Nutritionists work in and with a wide variety of departments, such as marketing, research and development or regulatory affairs. Work can be extremely varied, but often falls within several categories.
Product Development
Working with technologists, product developers and marketing specialists to develop new, or improve existing, products:
- Giving recommendations on the nutritional content of products, including reformulations or developing products with specific dietary needs in mind
- Highlighting trends in nutritional science
- Supporting recipe analysis
- Advising on nutrition labelling and claims
- Approving associated product promotion and marketing communications
Consumer Contact
Communicating with the consumer is a major activity for companies and nutritionists will often play a significant role, for example:
- Writing leaflets – for consumers, schools or health professionals
- Supporting an enquiry service with both written and telephone queries about products and by answering all the technical questions which seem to land on our desks!
Research and Scientific Work
Managing research projects can also be a large part of a nutritionist’s role which may include:
- Planning the research programme
- Contributing to protocols
- Liaising with external academic experts
- Preparation of scientific papers and reports
- Keeping up to date on current, relevant science
- Representing the company on external committees or at conferences
Health Promotion
Promoting healthy eating both within the company and outside is fundamental to many nutrition roles so it is necessary to:
- Upskilling different teams in the business on nutrition requirements
- Supporting employee wellness programmes through nutrition training, promoting healthy eating within the organisation, and advising on internal catering
- Keeping up to date with current thinking in nutrition by reading journals and attending scientific conferences
Regulatory Affairs
Many nutritionists in the food industry also look after regulatory affairs which involves:
- Interpreting legislation and its impact on the business
- Ensuring company compliance with regulations
- Contributing to the development of new legislation at both UK and European level
- Responding to government consultations
Public Relations and Communications
The role of nutritionists here varies considerably within each organisation. It can be very diverse work and include:
- Giving external presentations or talks
- Holding discussions on an exhibition stand
- Media relations