A Short Series with Omar Jorge of Compare Foods

Oct 5, 2023

By Leslie G. Sarasin, President and CEO, FMI

In the past two decades, I've watched our industry change radically—much like the ocean currents. Through it all, grocery stores have kept shoppers in the foreground; suppliers have varied their options in line with new trends; and service providers have learned new ways to help both achieve their goals.

As we navigated new and unpredictable changes – some obvious to the eye, some powerful ones hidden beneath the surface – we've had to remain nimble and transform how our industry keeps communities fed. And if you're looking for proof, just look at how we came together during the pandemic to navigate tidal surges and wild cross currents.

It is in this context of resilient transformation that I am delighted to share a two-part series featuring Omar Jorge, our 2024 FMI Midwinter Executive Conference chairman. As a longtime leader in the food industry and second-generation grocer, Omar has seen it all, having started in the family business in his youth. He takes us through some of the ways he has charted the course as CEO of Compare Foods Supermarkets.

Part I of the Series

Sarasin: What is your perspective on being a part of the change that sets this industry apart?

Jorge: It's incredibly exciting to be part of the change in the food industry. Every day, our industry becomes more important in the lives of our customers, and the trust they place in us to feed their families is one we must take seriously. If we keep this mindset as we look to improve our industry, these changes will be beneficial for our companies, for FMI, and for society as a whole.

Sarasin: How have you and your team remained nimble in the face of all the upheaval the industry's seen?

Jorge: Training, training, training. It's impossible to train for the unknown, but just the act of continuing to learn and being open to new ideas and possibilities helps us work through challenges when they present themselves. This is one of the biggest benefits that independents like me take out of FMI Midwinter -- the ability to learn about innovations in our industry and learning how to apply these innovations in our individual stores.

Sarasin: How do you believe Midwinter will help us forge new ideas through all of this?

Jorge: Anytime that stakeholders in our industry come together to discuss the common challenges and opportunities we face in an open, non-competitive manner, all of us benefit. By participating in the different sessions and interacting with other supermarket owners from different parts of the country, we can share best practices, and all come back with stronger ideas and better processes that we can implement at home. The great thing about Midwinter is that there are so many different fields where this can apply: it can be technology with how artificial intelligence will impact the food industry, food safety procedures to ensure we are doing our best to prevent illness and contamination in the products we sell, or disaster preparedness and violence prevention so we can minimize threats to our businesses so our associates and customers have a safe place to work and shop.