Retail Operations

How Food Retailers Should Use Artificial Intelligence

Business leaders in food retail are just starting to scratch the surface of how artificial intelligence (AI) will benefit their organizations and evolve this industry. There has also been a quiet call to action that more of the industry’s commercial ...

Tech Tools that Improve Audits and Reporting Processes

If accelerating technology is reshaping the way grocers procure and sell products, it’s also impacting the way they evaluate and report on their businesses. Advances in financial and auditing technologies provide food retailers and suppliers with ...

Photo Friday: Sustainability in the Grocery Store

I recently joined Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (SLO) professor and agriculture economist Dr. Ricky Volpe's class on “Food Retail Management.” Along with 45 students, we met with Jonathan Tan from The Ratio Institute, a nonprofit certifying body for ...

The Latest in Financial Trends for The Food Industry

It’s been a busy decade so far in finance and accounting. The first three years of the 2020s have been marked – and in some cases, rocked – by a steady stream of major events that have impacted retailers’ and suppliers’ books and bottom lines and ...

Northgate Market in Cooking Up Change in the Community

Sometimes we don’t really grasp how one program, grounded by a local grocery store, and supported by an entire community, can impact the lives of so many until we get a chance to see that impact firsthand. What an honor when Northgate Gonzalez ...

State of the Industry: Asset Protection in Food Retail

A can of soup, a stapler, a trophy—what do these items all have in common? Their ability to protect you in the case of an active assailant threat. Recently, we received active assailant training at FMI. As part of this training, we were asked to ...

The Good News Remains: Both Consumers and Retailers Have Choices

Despite the uncertain economic environment we find ourselves in currently, consumers remain largely resilient and flexible in their purchasing decision-making. While concern over inflation and out-of-stocks continue to be top of mind for shoppers, ...

Mitigating Labor Shortage and Workforce Challenges Through Employee Satisfaction

Developing employee satisfaction is the secret ingredient of employee management. It takes a complicated mix of modern leadership, coaching, training and engagement, but the result is an employee that wants to stay at your company and ...

This National Nutrition Month Become a MyPlate Partner

March is also the perfect time to join together with USDA to help promote the food groups included in MyPlate. For over a decade, USDA has collaborated with the MyPlate National Strategic Partners, a varied group of companies and organizations all ...

Six Imperative Issues Facing the Food Industry in 2023

The articles in this year’s Boardroom volume 8 reflect FMI’s Imperative Issues Framework. Boardroom continues to provide analysis and recommendations through the lens of the food industry's imperative issues – from supply chain and workforce ...

Recapping The Third Annual Supermarket Employee Day

Everyday supermarket employees work within their communities to ensure families and neighbors are fed and receive fresh wholesome products to support their health and well-being. In recent years, the world has acknowledged how truly essential these ...

Drumroll Please: Introducing the 2023 Class of FMI Store Manager Awards Nominees

In addition to celebrating the hardworking people who make up our industry, we want to pay special attention to the store managers who are the heartbeat of local supermarkets across the globe. These devoted leaders embody their company’s vision and ...

The Impulse Equation for Nonfoods Items

It wasn’t that long ago when most shoppers were a captive audience at the checkout stand, prone to scanning the rack while waiting and tossing in a pack of gum, a tube of lip balm, hair ties or maybe some batteries. Of course, while such last-minute ...

Technology-Driven Consumer Loyalty

We’ve got some unique circumstances facing the food industry currently. While we know from our 2022 The Food Retailing Industry Speaks report that food retailers and suppliers are facing pressures like inflation, supply chain issues and workforce ...

Coupons, Packaging and Home Meal Prep – Oh My!

At the FMI Midwinter Executive Conference, our speakers addressed: The Complexity of Coupons; The Biggest Challenges, Opportunities and Strategies That Lie Ahead for the CPG Industry; and Evolving Eats—What’s Cooking with ...