Hailey Gorski is a LA-based Registered Dietitian working at the intersection of nutrition and marketing. She is a private nutrition coach, content creator, and social media consultant for better-for-you food and bev brands.
Connect with Hailey on socials: Instagram, TikTok
How did you get started as a dietician and how has it shaped your work in CPG?
I was drawn to the field of dietetics due to the contradictory nutrition information on socials. One day you hear that fruit is healthy, and the next, it's criticized for the sugar content. Conflicting information makes it challenging to make a decision that supports your unique nutrition goals!!
My objective as a dietitian is to equip people with the tools and knowledge to think critically. I hope to help them to define their own sense of balance and enjoy the process, rather than being swayed by trends they find on the internet!
The CPG industry presents a great opportunity for this. Many people can't afford a personal dietitians to interpret nutrition labels for them, but having dietitians in the brand space makes this expertise accessible to a wider audience. It empowers more people to make informed choices!
In the CPG sector, I can directly translate my dietetic knowledge, connecting my nutrition practices with tangible products!
As founders navigate making the healthiest choices for their formulations while also considering costs of running a business, what would your advice be?
For startups, creating a product with a great nutrition profile and ingredient label while operating on a tight budget is a challenge. Limited financial resources can block their capacity to use high-quality, healthy ingredients, often forcing them to make difficult trade-offs between cost and product healthfulness.
Founders must prioritize their target audience's primary health need when formulating products.
Ask: "What is our unique value proposition addressing our customer’s primary concerns?" This could be: affordable price, dietary inclusivity, cultural inclusivity, disability friendly, or shelf stability (which might mean more preservatives). Align your primary solution with these needs!
Then, use emerging studies that relate to your product in conjunction with social media.
Engage with your audience on social to gather feedback along with staying at the pulse of emerging nutrition studies to refine both your formulation and marketing.
As you deepen your understanding of your audience's pain points and solutions, both your products and business can evolve more effectively.
For all the health and sustainability conscious marketers in CPG, what is your advice around ethical marketing?
CPG marketing is evolving quickly, with consumers becoming more discerning about what they buy and from who. Consumers can smell brand bull sh*t from a mile away!
Especially for emerging brands, the primary focus is often to raise brand awareness and cultivate a loyal community. One of the most effective ways to achieve this is not through showcasing only the positives, but through transparency.
Here's why:
Future-Proof Your Branding: Ask yourself: "Is our messaging aligned with our customer's health goals, considering all the information we have now?" If the answer is no, you risk losing that customer and their trust. Prioritizing their long-term health and well-being can solidify their loyalty!
