Retail Operations

Thanksgiving, the Consummate Family Meal and Beyond

Thanksgiving is the consummate family meal. It bears all the nutritional, emotional, mental, and social merits that are accrued when we gather at table sharing a common need of physiological substance, and surprisingly discover that our minds and ...

2022: Give Thanks for Grocery Workers. 2023: Provide Recognition.

More than most years, in 2022 food retailers realized the value and importance of a strong workforce. From frontline associates to cake decorators, grocers have been making recruitment and retention of talent a top priority throughout this ...

How Corporate “Show and Tell” is Helping Food Retailers Thrive

Since kindergarten we’ve all learned the value of sharing with others. It’s reassuring and even heart-warming to hear and gain an understanding of what others have experienced in their lives. In business, it is a way to foresee issues ahead, ...

Illustrating the Evolving Grocery Experience

We used to debate whether our industry was going through an evolution or a revolution. Depending on your viewpoint regarding the pace of change and the catalysts for it, there has been one constant: Our industry continues to invest heavily in ...

Submit a Nomination for 2023's Store Manager Awards!

Store managers are key to our communities. They wear a lot of hats. In addition to ensuring grocery stores run smoothly, building strong teams of associates and working to keep shelves stocked, they also serve as information experts and team ...

Halloween is Back, Witches

Yes, you guess right. I’ve been watching a lot of Hocus Pocus lately—movie one and two. But I’m not alone! The second movie in the series has been a big hit and in more ways that one. It turns out, Halloween is back in a big way this ...

The Next Ice Age in Grocery Will Be Green

Given recent improvements in refrigeration technology and growing consumer preference for businesses that demonstrate their commitment to sustainability, more and more grocers are exploring how to make their refrigerant systems more cost-effective ...

The Forward Stance: Shifting to Action on Technology

I recently shared my thoughts on "The Ready Stance" sports posture and how it provides optimal positioning to allow your body to change directions, practice preparedness swiftly, stay aware and agile. Another position to consider is the “Forward ...

Navigating the VUCA Supply Chain in the Post Pandemic Era

Though our food supply chain remains resilient, it has seen its fair share of uncertainty and constraints with no real end in sight. Given this, the acronym ‘VUCA’— which stands for Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity— has been used ...

The Ready Stance for the Food Industry

In sports there is something called “The Ready Stance.” It’s the optimal positioning to allow your body to swiftly change directions. In The Ready Stance, a persons’ core muscles and major muscle groups are engaged and at the ready so they can ...

Navigating an Extreme Obstacle Course

As I look at the results of The Food Retailing Industry Speaks 2022 report, I see many of my professional role models throughout the food industry navigating a different type of obstacle course than my childhood idols. The food industry has had to ...

How Your Company Can Win with A People-First Culture

No one can deny that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a profoundly impact of the food industry workforce. According to The Food Retailing Industry Speaks 2022 report, 87% of food retail businesses and 86% of food supplier businesses surveyed report ...

The Resilient U.S. Grocery Shopper

The dictionary defines resilient as, “the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness.” Certainly, shoppers have embodied this definition by protecting their own personal health and even navigating the business and operational ...

The Food Industry is Working to Improve Nutrition Security

Food retailers, product suppliers and manufacturers are working to improve nutrition security with creative solutions and partnerships, making it easier for consumers to access and afford nutritious foods and beverages. Across the country, FMI ...

Who is The Animal-Alternative Product Shopper?

In the inaugural Power of Plant-based Foods and Beverages 2022 report, which is FMI’s first-ever comprehensive review of the plant-based topic broadly, we looked at naturally plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains and ...