FMI’s 2026 FreshForward conference focused on connecting with consumers, embracing technology and enhancing fresh merchandising, reinforcing that fresh remains one of food retailers' strongest advantages.
By David Haaf, Vice President, Fresh Foods, FMI
The fresh department is the heartbeat of the grocery store. When fresh performs well, the entire store benefits.
That message set the tone at our FMI FreshForward conference in St. Louis. In her opening keynote, FMI President and CEO Leslie Sarasin drew inspiration from the interactive play Every Brilliant Thing, asking attendees to reflect on what makes fresh so special. The responses were immediate: vibrant produce colors, knowledgeable associates and the unique connection fresh creates with consumers.
FMI's latest State of Fresh Foods research reinforced those strengths. Despite workforce and market challenges, fresh remains one of food retail's strongest differentiators.
This year's FreshForward focused on three areas critical to keeping fresh relevant and resilient:
- Connecting with Consumers,
- Embracing Practical Technology and
- Enhancing Fresh Merchandising.
Fostering Connections with Consumers
One message came through clearly during our discussions: consumers are looking for relationships, not just transactions. Price still matters, but so do quality, trust and the overall shopping experience.
Ted Schnuck of Schnuck Markets captured this well with a simple question: "What's for dinner?" Consumers expect relevant solutions, personalized offers and communication through the channels they use most.
I was also struck by The Giant Company's disciplined storytelling. Chief Marketing Officer John MacDonald shared that value, freshness and kindness filter every story they tell. Leaders from Inmar Intelligence, Saint Joseph's University and FMI reinforced personalization, authentic engagement and trading partner collaboration.
Embracing Practical Technology
Technology continues to create new opportunities across fresh, but one theme surfaced repeatedly during our discussions: technology only succeeds when people trust it and see value in it.
Whether discussing AI, computer vision, digital twins or agentic commerce, the focus was on turning insights into action. Accurate, reliable data remains the foundation.
Claudia Molina of Simbe Robotics emphasized engaging associates through her "Head, Heart, Hand" approach to change management. Tom Henry of Schnuck Markets echoed that theme: do technology with the business, not to the business.
The goal isn't simply efficiency. It's using technology to help teams focus more of their time on serving customers and delivering an exceptional fresh experience.
Enhancing Fresh Merchandising
As moderator of our Fresh Merchandising panel, I challenged participants to consider a simple question: "What does success in fresh look like today beyond sales and tonnage?"
Fresh merchandising is no longer just about displaying products. It's about solutions that inspire shoppers, simplify meal decisions and deliver value.
Adam Branin of Giant Eagle highlighted cross merchandising and mobile refrigerated displays that help answer, "What's for dinner?" Hussmann and Mariner Marketing also shared perspectives on fixture flexibility, shopper engagement and value beyond price.
The retailers that will win in fresh are those that make meal planning easier, create engaging experiences and connect merchandising to the way consumers shop today.
Eyeing the Road Ahead
FreshForward concluded with a thought-provoking keynote from Kasey Lobaugh, Deloitte's Chief Innovation Officer for the Consumer Industry. His message was clear: the consumer landscape is changing faster than ever, driven by shifting demographics, evolving spending patterns and the rapid acceleration of technology.
Technology's impact will depend on how willing we are to challenge ourselves to use it. While AI is advancing rapidly, success still comes down to understanding consumers, solving problems and helping shoppers make better decisions.
Final Take
As I reflect on FreshForward, which is developed with Deloitte, I'm encouraged by our industry's willingness to share ideas and think differently.
The challenge and opportunity for all of us is to keep adding to the list of "brilliant things" that make fresh such a powerful driver of customer loyalty, growth and differentiation.
I'm excited to see those ideas continue with the upcoming publication of FMI's 2026 Fresh Forward Action Guide, which will curate impactful strategies cited at the conference and highlight innovative approaches across stores and communities.
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