Statesmanship, humanitarianism and entrepreneurialism are qualities we associate with great leaders who help to cultivate corporate purpose. In the food retail industry, these attributes define the type of leader who can advance his or her career from a motivated grocery bagger to the visionary in the corner office.Not all industries offer the caliber of self-evolvement opportunities that is such a vital part of the tradition of the food retail industry.

Meat has been the traditional center-of-the-plate feature for years, but no one bothered to ask it where it’s from, how it feels or even who invited it to the party. Consumers must think they’ve been rude dinner guests – satisfied by a superficial relationship with their food without really getting to know it. As consummate hosts, food retailers increasingly seek opportunities to share more information about the proteins that their shoppers desire, and in the meantime, inspire sincere dinner conversations.

Thanks to modern technologies, engaging with customers, friends, elected officials and the media has become much easier, more efficient and more powerful. Retailers can use social media as a powerful driver to share their perspectives on the impact these hidden swipe fees have on their business operations, and we know that for some, these fees constitute one of their highest operating expenses.

This year’s National Nutrition Month theme, Put Your Best Fork Forward, is a nice reminder that making small shifts in food choices, one forkful at a time can result in big changes towards a healthy diet.