Retail Operations

Grocery Store or Community Center?

Grocery stores are offering a holistic experience for shoppers—almost a community center approach—by delivering the full spectrum of services from food and supplies to prescriptions from the pharmacist, tips from the registered dietitian, and meal ...

5-Tips to Improve Energy and Refrigerant Management

For store operators concerned about implementing costly new systems and procedures, there are many low or no-cost options to tackle energy leakage and manage refrigeration ...

Don’t Overlook Foodservice-at-Retail in the Path Forward

Already a hybrid of restaurants and retail, grocery foodservice programs straddle concurrent shopper interest in convenient, high quality, good-tasting, nutritious and safe meals, snacks and drinks. Consumers may not be able to share a utensil at ...

Issues 2020 Raised, Agenda Items for 2021

To specifically tackle the tough subject of racial equity, FMI is partnering with the Center for Food Integrity (CFI) in an initiative to facilitate food industry conversations around the issues of Racial Justice, Inclusion and Diversity. The goal ...

Fresh Foods Consumers Relay New Pandemic-Driven Perspectives

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a giant learning experience about many things — and one of these is how consumer perspectives are ...

Five Midwinter 2021 Events You May Not Have Been Aware Of

As we continue to shape our industry’s strategic future, I hope you consider one of FMI’s shining member benefits—the Midwinter Executive Conference. And yes, we’re bringing the event to the comfort of your office, ...

2020: The Year of the Food Industry

From the cashiers and stockers to the store managers and executives, the drivers and food processors and pharmacist and nutritionists, to the data analysts, delivery experts and farmers, our industry is filled with true Food Industry Heroes who have ...

Today is Giving Tuesday!

Following closely on the retail-oriented heels of Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday, Giving Tuesday provides us with the opportunity to begin the holiday season on a charitable giving note. If you are participating in the ...

The Most Important Communications Tool During COVID-19: Transparency

Every year in The Food Retailing Industry Speaks report we ask food retailers about their communications channels/methods and which they find to be most effective. In a typical year I’d tell you which social media channels food retailers are finding ...

Industry Contributions to Health and Well-being

As noted in The Food Retailing Industry Speaks 2020 (Speaks) report, “the greatest health crisis in 100 years has scrambled just about every facet of food retail, not to mention society in general.” As a result, one guiding imperative resonates ...

Tackling the Tough Topic of Race Relations

Just because something is difficult does not excuse us from tackling it. In fact, FMI believes the tougher the topic is, the deeper the need to address it. Consequently, FMI is partnering with the Center for Food Integrity (CFI) in an initiative to ...

New Twists on Retail Differentiation Strategies

Food retailers have been adapting their product and service differentiation strategies. In 2019, they pushed the boundaries to enhance strategies in specific areas. Then, in the pandemic period, they have pivoted on some strategies to accommodate ...

What’s for Dinner? Try the Menu of a Supper Bowl Contender

The battle for a semi-final berth was incredibly tight with only three votes separating the covenanted eighth place slot advancing to the next round and the ninth-place finisher left with thoughts of what could have been and hopes for next ...

Implementing a Strong Omnichannel Strategy to Avoid Supply Chain Waste

Today’s retailers need a strong omnichannel strategy in place to meet rapidly changing consumer needs resulting from the pandemic. As more people choose to take advantage of ecommerce for delivery of their essential food items, retailers must ensure ...

Innovation Takes on New Meaning in Private Brands

When the COVID-19 pandemic arrived, many companies temporarily put at least some private brand product innovation on hold to address the crisis. More recently, we’re starting to see a renewed commitment to innovation. Food retailers saw the pandemic ...