Fresh Foods

By: Rick Stein, Vice President, Fresh Foods, Food Marketing Institute

You’ve heard about the Fresh Pavilion at FMI Connect and the stories of some of the fresh exhibitors you can expect to see, but who will be talking about fresh at FMI Connect and what will they have to say? Here are five fresh speaker sessions you won’t want to miss at FMI Connect: 

1. The Power of Produce: You’ve heard about the Power of Meat research, but now it’s time to explore the Power of Produce. Anne-Marie Roerink from 210 Analytics, LLC shares this ground-breaking research report on shopper habits and the fresh perimeter. 

2. Redefining "Value" in Fresh: Value to today’s shopper might not be just about price. Sherry Frey from Nielsen Perishables Group shares how to think differently about product portfolios, pricing and their messaging strategies to win with distinctly different shopping segments.

3. Will Proteins Be in Short Supply?:  Proteins have never been more popular. But recent droughts and beef herd reductions have demonstrated the vulnerability of the protein food supply. Dave Donnan from A.T. Kearney, Inc. outlines the issues being faced by the industry and how innovative operators are changing the way they go to market.

4. Benefiting from Emerging Trends in Fresh Prepared Foods: Bob Goldin from Technomic, Inc. shares detailed descriptions of consumer shopping trends like local, clean label, sustainable, etc., why these trends are resonating today and how they will take shape in the near-term.

5. Panel on Sustainable Sourcing of Fresh Products: Consumers have questions about where their food comes from, how it is produced and what they are implicitly supporting with each purchase. Sherry Frey from the Nielsen Perishables Group will moderate a panel of food retailers including Carl Salamone from Wegmans and Neil Kudrinko from Kudrinko's on the emerging role that retailers are playing as educators in the fresh foods aisle and what our roles, responsibilities and risks are in the context of this new socially conscious consumerism.

Ready for more? Check out all the Fresh Bites at the Fresh Pavilion including:

• The Male Shopper and the Grilling Occasion, presented by McCormick & Company
• The Latest on Aquaculture, presented by Bell Farms
• Combating Produce Spoilage and Foodborne Illnesses presented by Iotech International Health of the Gulf of Mexico presented by Paul Piazza Shrimp Co.
• Labeling Technology in Fresh, presented by Yerecic Labels.

Visit www.fmiconnect.net for more on workshop and speaker sessions at FMI Connect.