By: Leslie G. Sarasin, FMI President and CEO
The poet Gerard Manley Hopkins was a linguistic scholar and when he couldn't find the exact word he was looking for, he would simply make one up. One of his invented words was ‘Inscape,’ which he coined to describe the idea that in order to understand a forest, it’s best to focus on a single tress. It was his conviction that if you study and grasp the particular – you come to understand its connectedness to the whole, and you have an even better understanding of the general.
With apologies to Shakespeare, who thought “all the world’s a stage, and we but players;” I humbly submit that the world is actually a supermarket - in inscape fashion. You want to understand what is happening in the whole world? Just study all that is going on in a grocery store, because it is all happening here.
Our U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends 2014 explores five macro cultural happenings. We’ve provided overviews for you in each of the following posts:
Industry Topics address your specific area of expertise with resources, reports, events and more.
Our Research covers consumer behavior and retail operation benchmarks so you can make informed business decisions.
Events and Education including online and in-person help you advance your food retail career.
Food Safety training, resources and guidance that help you create a company food safety culture.
Government Affairs work — federal and state — on the latest food industry policy, regulatory and legislative issues.
Get Involved. From industry awards to newsletters and committees, these resources help you take advantage of your membership.
Best practices, guidance documents, infographics, signage and more for the food industry on the COVID-19 pandemic.
