Conversations at FMI Connect

By: Leslie G. Sarasin, President and CEO, Food Marketing Institute

Here are five conversations I am looking forward to having while I am in Chicago at FMI Connect, June 8 – 11.

1.  I anticipate our members will have some interesting responses to the 2015 U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends data which will be premiered on June 10.  The data reaches deep into the multiple factors that are converging to change the way American households approaching grocery shopping and suggest that we are moving from a primary shopper model to a new shared shopper paradigm.   I look forward to the dialogues this data will spark.  
2. I can’t wait to discuss with the judges at the Supermarket Chef Showdown the dishes that really tickled their taste buds in new and exciting ways.
3. I always enjoy my chats with the winners of our Store Manager Awards.   Hearing their tales from the trenches never fails to amuse, engage and inspire me.
4. I expect to have many stimulating discussions with members about the success of Connect Business Exchange (CBX), our structured one-to one business meetings.  I’m sure these talks will involve my answering some form of the question, “Why haven’t we done this at FMI Connect before?”
5. The unplanned, unanticipated and surprisingly delightful exchanges that always emerge during breaks in the educational programs, in the hallway on the way to the next event or around the hors d’oeuvres table at the numerous social events. 
6. I know I said five conversations, but there’s just so much connecting going on at FMI Connect, five wasn’t enough.  I look forward to engaging with food retailers in some serious dialogue about FMI’s Family Meals Initiative, exploring what potential that program holds for the food retail industry.

I especially hope I get the chance to talk with you while I’m in Chicago.