A few weeks back, we surveyed our dietitian community to get a clearer picture of why they come to us and what they are really looking for from brands. The results were helpful for any brand looking to work with dietitian ambassadors.
Here is what we found:
What dietitian ambassadors actually want from brands
1. Free samples are a huge driver
When brands post sample opportunities on The RD Link, they fill up within minutes. Our brand partners can easily share hundreds of samples with dietitians in less than 24 hours. Nearly half of the RDs we surveyed listed samples as their top priority when it comes to engaging with CPG brands.
Dietitians are looking to learn about products they can recommend and share with clients in practice. It is difficult to recommend something they have not tried themselves – after all, RDs are big proponents of taste! Food should taste good!
Getting your product into a dietitian’s hands is often the most important first step. From there, you build relationships, find authentic partnerships, and find those who stand out as true advocates and dietitian ambassadors for your brand.
Quick Tip:
Send samples a few times throughout the year. Make it known that you’re open to supporting RD-led events or providing product for their clients. It goes a long way. Opt for full size product for the RD and smaller samples to share. No need for a beautiful mailer (although they’re often photo worthy!).
Keep an eye on the Partnership Pitches tab—many dietitians post opportunities to share product at health fairs, sporting events, and more.
What the RDs had to say:
2. Dietitian ambassadors are actively looking for meaningful partnerships
Beyond samples, consulting work is growing fast in this field. RDs in traditional roles and are actively looking for ways to use their expertise outside the clinic or hospital setting. They are nutrition nerds, educators, and foodies who are genuinely excited to connect with and support brands they believe in.
Samples are a great starting point, but dietitian ambassadors can offer valuable expertise to your brand too. The key is to build authentic relationships through mutually beneficial partnerships and to plug in strategic RD collaborations at key times throughout the year.
Quick tip:
Collaborate with dietitian ambassadors on product development, nutrition messaging, spokesperson work, recipe development, content creation, retail launches, and more. Many of them are looking for exactly these types of opportunities.
Dietitian ambassadors are the most credible influencer
Some brands ask: “Do dietitians ever dilute their credibility or authenticity by partnering with too many brands at once?”
It is a fair question. However, dietitians operate very differently from other influencers. They are held to a professional code of ethics and base their recommendations on evidence, not trends. As a result, they are selective about who they partner with and how they position the message.
For example, we’ve worked with a bar company that launched a line of keto bars. Some dietitians turned down the partnership because they were not comfortable promoting the keto messaging to the general public. Others accepted the collaboration but made sure to frame the bars around their high fiber, protein, and simple ingredients rather than endorsing a keto diet to the general health conscious consumer. This level of nuance and understanding is what makes a dietitian ambassador so valuable.
Dietitians are not diluting their credibility. They are actively protecting it. This selectivity ultimately works in your favor as a brand.
What this means for your dietitian ambassador strategy
When a dietitian ambassador agrees to work with your brand, it is because they genuinely align with your product and message. That built-in credibility carries through to everything they create. Here is what that means in practice:
As a brand, this works in your favor:
- Built-in credibility: If a dietitian agrees to partner, it’s because they genuinely align with your product and message.
- Authentic messaging: You don’t have to worry about a standard endorsement – dietitians tailor their content to keep it credible and evidence-based.
- Long-term trust: Their selectivity means their audiences continue to see them as reliable experts, which ultimately strengthens your brand by association.
RDs actively turn down partnerships they aren’t aligned with, so when you see a dietitian promoting your product, you can feel confident that it’s not just about the transaction – it’s an aligned, authentic partnership.
Here’s what some RDs shared about misaligned partnerships they’ve turned down.
“Someone I worked for wanted me to endorse an unfamiliar dietary supplement that wasn’t third party validated. No way!”
“I turned down a 4 figure partnership last month because the brand and PR agent didn’t want me to disclose on social.”
“I’ve been approached by food companies that I could not align myself or my brand with, even, short term. It’s okay to say no.”
“Just recently turned down an opportunity to be part of a documentary but my values didn’t align with the director. So I happily provided some names of folks who might better align with his goals.”
“I was asked to write a video script on nutrition & autism. Pay was great but I had no experience in either and I knew there were more qualified people. I passed on it and felt instant relief.”
The bottom line on dietitian ambassador partnerships
When brands ask why RDs come to The RD Link, it is as simple as this: samples and partnerships. They want to know your brand, try your products, and support you however they can. The RD Link makes it easy to find the right dietitian ambassador partners who can authentically share your story.
The RD Link makes it easy to find the brands that want to work with you.
Want to go deeper on engaging with RDs effectively?
Check out our free ROI training here
Create your profile to start building relationships today.
Whether you are a brand or a registered dietitian, your next partnership is waiting.