In the modern healthcare landscape, providing evidence-based patient education is a collective effort. As dietitians, our expertise is the gold standard for nutritional advice but ensuring that advice reaches the patients who need it requires robust, sustained support.
That is why, at the British Dietetic Association (BDA), we want to highlight and celebrate our ongoing partnership with Raisio (the makers of Benecol) - a commercial partner that truly champions the dietetic profession and actively invests in the educuational ecosystem.
Empowering professionals through partnerships
Raisio's commitment to our profession goes far beyond a standard corporate relationship. Through their partnership with the BDA and their long-standing work alongside the dietitians at Heart UK, Raisio consistently elevates the role fo the dietitian as the vital link between clinical science and everyday heart health.
By collaborating directly with dietitians, Raisio ensures that the science of cholesterol management - such as the proven role of plant stanol esters - is translated into practical, realistic dietary advice for patients. This collaboration doesn't just promote a product; it reinforces the credibility of evidence-based nutrition and keeps dietitians at the centre of the cardiovascular health conversation.
Funding the patient education ecosystem
Perhaps the most critical, yet underappreciated, aspect of Raisio's work is their willingness to fund the "ecosystem" of patient and professional education.
Developing accredited resources, running clinical research studies, providing educational grants and designing tools like Heart UK’s dietary management guides takes significant funding. Raisio actively injects capital and expertise into these programmes, ensuring healthcare professionals have access to high-quality, continuous professional development (CPD) and patients receive trusted, accessible guidance.
This month, the BDA was pleased to be able to complete a review of Benecol’s core 'Keeping your heart happy' patient information booklet and provide a supportive statement alongside Heart UK and the Croí Heart and Stroke charity in Ireland.
This is where a vital distinction must be made between science-led brands and own-label alternatives. While supermarket own-label brands often replicate healthcare products at a lower shelf price, they do not replicate the investment back into the medical community. Own-label versions do not directly fund clinical research or sponsor educational grants and they do not directly support professional bodies like the BDA or charities like Heart UK.
When a company like Raisio invests in our ecosystem, they are preserving the infrastructure of public health education. Without this backing, the burden of developing these educational pathways would fall entirely on stretched NHS resources or the charities themselves.
Celebrating the value of science-led collaboration
Working with partners who respect, celebrate, and financially back our expertise allows the dietetic community to expand its reach and impact. Raisio’s proactive approach to supporting dietitians demonstrates that commercial success and public health advocacy can go hand in hand.
By choosing to invest heavily in the structures that educate both the clinician and the patient, Raisio isn't just selling a food range — they are protecting and sustaining the very future of dietary education in the UK.
Reflecting on 5 years of partnership, Clare Rea, Dietitian and Global Head of HCP Marketing at Raisio Group, said "Celebrating five years of partnership with the BDA is a proud milestone for everyone at Raisio. As a dietitian, I know first-hand how vital evidence-based nutrition is to public health, and our collaboration with the BDA allows us to champion that expertise on a national scale. Raisio remains deeply committed to investing in this professional ecosystem, ensuring that dietitians are supported, valued, and empowered to continue their life-changing work in preventative health."
Jo Lewis, BDA Commercial Director, commented "We are delighted to celebrate five years of a truly collaborative partnership with Raisio. At the BDA, we look for commercial partners who don’t just understand nutrition, but who are willing to actively invest back into the dietetic profession. Raisio’s sustained commitment over the last half-decade has been instrumental in funding vital patient education and professional development programmes - initiatives that generic, own-label brands simply do not directly support. By choosing to invest heavily in our ecosystem, Raisio demonstrates a deep respect for dietetic expertise and helps us protect the future of evidence-based healthcare education."