Health and Well-being

By: Sue Borra, Chief Health and Wellness Officer for FMI and Executive Director of the FMI Foundation

Drum roll please! The FMI Foundation is accenting the FUN in fundraising with our new event Stir It Up!, a lively cooking competition between food industry executives taking place January 29 at the 2017 FMI Midwinter Executive Conference in Scottsdale, Arizona. 

Retailer and supplier executives will draft all-star “Demo Kitchen Station” teams and compete for the bragging rights of dishing up the best family meal —breakfast, lunch or dinner—with the audience determining the winning menus.  The sought-after grand prize will go to the kitchen team that raises the most money in support of the FMI Foundation’s programs in food safety, nutrition and health.  

Stir it Up! has multiple levels of participation from being a starlit Executive Chef Team Leader to simply purchasing a ticket and enjoying a fun evening supporting a great cause. Here are the top five things to know about this exciting new event:

1. No suit, no tie required! Attire is business casual this year.
2. Currently, Stir It Up! has four Executive Chef level sponsors each with their own Demo Kitchen Teams, hosted by Hy-Vee, Inc., Wakefern, Coca Cola, and Pepsico. These Teams will serve small “tasting” sizes dishes so you can vote for your favorite.
3. In addition to the Demo Kitchens, there are many places throughout the Palomino Ballroom that you have to explore. Companies will be hosting Meet and Greet tables/areas throughout the room as places to network with their executives hosting each area.  See all the Stir It Up! sponsorship options.
4. Just want to attend? No problem! Purchase tickets to the event so you don’t miss out on all the action.
5. It’s all for a great cause! The FMI Foundation supports food safety, nutrition and health programs including food safety scholarships and National Family Meals Month™. Your sponsorship and ticket dollars go to support this important work!

Learn more about Stir It Up! at www.fmi.org/StirItUp. I look forward to seeing you all at this exciting new event sure to showcase Family Meals and the culinary side of the food retail industry.