Dr Schär UK Ltd is a gluten-free food manufacturer with a long-standing commitment to supporting individuals with coeliac disease, gluten sensitivity, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). With a strong focus on clinical nutrition, the business integrates dietetic expertise into its strategy, led by Company Dietitian Katie Kennedy.
Why Dr Schär joined the BDA
Dr Schär has been a proud corporate supporter of the BDA for over eight years. As Katie Kennedy explains, the decision to pursue a corporate membership was driven by a recognition of the BDA’s authority and influence in the field:
“As a registered dietitian myself, I was already aware of the expertise and influence of dietitians within all areas of nutrition and public health. The British Dietetic Association are the professional association for dietitians in the UK, so collaborating with them was an obvious choice when developing the healthcare professional communication plans for our brands.”
The partnership was seen as a strategic opportunity to connect with dietitians across the UK, raise awareness of Dr Schär’s product portfolio, and support professional learning in niche clinical areas.
Goals and objectives
Through their membership, Dr Schär sought to:
- Promote the health and nutrition credentials of their gluten-free products
- Provide opportunities for dietitians to expand their knowledge in key clinical areas such as coeliac disease, non-coeliac gluten sensitivity, and IBS
- Connect with a specialist audience to support their commercial and educational aims
BDA engagement in practice
Dr Schär has actively collaborated with the BDA across a wide range of initiatives, including:
- Sponsorship of webinars, including a highly successful session on the neurological manifestations of gluten sensitivity
- Regular involvement in sampling campaigns targeting both students and qualified dietitians
- Sponsorship of BDA CED (Centre for Education & Development) classroom courses in coeliac disease and IBS
- Contributions to the BDA’s communications channels, including e-newsletters and Dietetics Today
- Commissioning membership surveys and submitting articles for publication
A particularly impactful collaboration was the BDA-hosted webinar on neurological symptoms associated with gluten sensitivity. Dr Schär proposed the topic—considered relatively niche—and the BDA took on full responsibility for logistics, promotion, and delivery. The event attracted strong attendance and received positive feedback from attendees.
Their sponsorship of CED courses has also allowed them to engage directly with dietitians who specialise in areas aligned with their commercial focus. This targeted engagement has proven valuable for both raising brand awareness and providing meaningful educational support to the profession.
Outcomes and impact
Since becoming a corporate member, Dr Schär has observed consistent year-on-year growth in brand recognition among UK dietitians. Katie Kennedy attributes much of this increased awareness to the ongoing collaboration with the BDA:
“Over the years that we’ve been corporate supporters of the BDA, we have observed year on year growth in dietitian awareness of our brands, products and services. Our free educational resources for patients with coeliac disease and IBS are now the most popular free resource amongst dietitians who advise patients with these conditions. We feel strongly that this growth in awareness can in many ways be attributed to our collaboration with the BDA.”
This rising awareness has aligned with business goals and enhanced the reach of Dr Schär’s patient education materials—supporting both clinical practice and brand positioning in a specialist healthcare market.
Looking ahead
Dr Schär is continuing to work with the BDA to support ongoing projects and future campaigns. In 2025, they are sponsoring regional and specialist sub-group events, as well as promoting updated resources via the BDA’s member communications channels.
Looking to 2026 and beyond, they have exciting new initiatives in development for which they plan to seek BDA collaboration. The value of the partnership has been clear:
“We would certainly recommend partnering with the BDA to other food and nutrition-focused companies and organisations who are looking to raise the profile of their products and services amongst a professional audience.”
Dr Schär have been proud corporate supporters of the BDA for over 8 years. During this time we have worked on a variety of projects and initiatives to the mutual benefit of the dietetic profession, patients and our business.
Katie Kennedy, Company Dietitian, Dr Schär UK Ltd