‘Super Sessions’ at 2004 FMI Show Examine Modern Consumers, New Growth Opportunities, Innovative Store Designs and Emerging Food Trends

WASHINGTON, DC — February 24, 2004 — Ten broad, fast-paced and globally focused ‘Super Sessions’ top the education program for the 2004 FMI Show, May 2-4 at the McCormick Place Convention Center in downtown Chicago. Featuring top industry experts and state-of-the-industry data on the newest consumer and food retailing trends, the ‘Super Sessions’ are designed to be in tune with current market realities.

Kicking off the 2004 FMI Show is the first ‘Super Session’ — FMI’s signature “Food Marketing Industry Speaks” presentation on Sunday morning. Based on surveys of food retailing and wholesaling executives, the annual session offers a snapshot of the industry’s most recent operating results while offering fresh insights from industry leaders on ways to build sales and margins by creating a stronger in-store customer focus. Other ‘Super Sessions’ include:

• How Do Shoppers Pick Where They Shop? Consumer Purchasing and Shopping Patterns: Industry experts analyze the results of a Coca Cola Research Council study, which reveals how changes in consumer shopping patterns are impacting sales and profits. Using key findings of the study as a guide, the panel will explore a new vision for personalizing marketing and merchandising messages to specific audiences.

• Repositioning the Center Store: How can a retailer drastically reorganize the center store to improve sales in these categories? A panel of leading global retailers and suppliers share ideas and new innovations that drive sales and increase profits.

• Building Sales in Fresh Food Categories: A cross-section of leading industry players reveal innovations in fresh food categories that lead to higher margins and profits. New additions to the meat case, improved meal solutions strategies and better produce merchandising are some of the areas to be explored.

• Re-Making the Supermarket Experience: How does a retailer create the “right” shopping environment for an increasingly diverse customer base? Architectural expert Kevin Kelley, principal, Shook Kelley, looks at how companies incorporate their brand and image into the store layout as well as advertising, marketing and merchandising.

• Achieving Double Digit Growth When Others Cannot: Michael Treacy, author and chief strategist and co-founder, Jen3 Partners, describes how companies can compete through growing the customer base, increasing market share, strategic market positioning, penetrating adjacent markets and investing in new lines of business.

• Building Sales in Opportunity Categories: From organics to specialty/gourmet foods to housewares, there are numerous new products and services retailers can offer shoppers to attract and keep customers. A broad industry panel explains how companies can differentiate product offerings to stay ahead of the competition.

• Twenty Trends for 2010 – Retailing in an Age of Uncertainty: What does the future hold for supermarkets, other food formats, branding, globalization and trading partner behavior? How will changes in the economy, consumer behavior, real estate markets, marketing practices and competitor dynamics affect company bottom lines? Tom Rubel, president and CEO, Retail Forward, Inc., takes a look.

• 10 Top Retailers’ 10 Top Tactics to Top Last Year’s Sales: Industry guru Harold Lloyd, president, H. Lloyd and Associates, reviews proven sales strategies used by today’s most successful food retail and wholesale companies.

An additional session will be announced later.

The FMI Show — The Place to Be in 2004

The 2004 FMI Show will be an event like no other, offering unprecedented service and customized benefits. Participants of all sizes will find value, efficiency and productivity in this once-a-year gathering of industry leaders from all over the world. For more information, contact FMI convention services at 202-452-8444; call FMI’s Fax-on-Demand Show Infoline at 1-800-890-SHOW (7469); or visit the 2004 FMI Show Web site (www.fmishow.org) for details on exhibitors and workshops, and to register online.