The 2026 Future Leaders eXperience brought together 281 food industry professionals from 19 companies to build practical leadership skills, strengthen peer connections and support the next generation of food retail leaders.
By: Tina Pedrick, Manager, Education, FMI
There is a lot to celebrate about the 2026 Future Leaders eXperience!
This year, 281 food industry professionals from 19 companies came together to strengthen their leadership skills, learn from one another and put new ideas into practice. 257 participants earned their Food Retail Leader Certificate: a 91.5% completion rate.
Behind those numbers are months of learning, connection and collaboration, supported by 16 Coaches, 14 live Zoom sessions and 15 optional office hours. It has been incredibly rewarding to see 2026's leaders engage with the program, support one another and grow throughout the experience.
Three takeaways stood out this year:
Leadership Put Into Practice
Participants consistently shared how much they valued being able to connect the program to their everyday work.
“I really enjoyed the parts of the course that were interactive, practical, and easy to connect back to my day-to-day work.”
The live sessions, team discussions, assignments and coaching gave participants opportunities to turn leadership concepts into something they could use.
Learning From Each Other
One of the things I value most about the Future Leaders eXperience is the community it creates. Leaders have an opportunity to learn not only from the content but from the experiences and perspectives of their peers and Coaches across the food industry.
“Their support, feedback, and shared experiences helped me stay engaged and apply the leadership lessons to my daily work.”
One Coach captured this beautifully, sharing that the program provided a “space to share openly” and calling that a unique opportunity.
The Leadership Journey Continues
The experience doesn't end when the certificate is earned. This year, we also saw the impact of alumni returning as Coaches and giving back to the program while continuing to grow themselves.
“Being a Coach this year has allowed me to experience this valuable program through a different lens. Coaching the FleX program is a meaningful way for alumni to give back while continuing to grow as leaders.”
That's one of the things that makes this program so special to me: leaders learn, leaders grow and then many come back ready to help the next generation.
Congratulations to all 257 Food Retail Leader Certificate recipients! And a huge thank-you to our 16 coaches, 19 companies and industry partners who helped make this 2026’s experience possible.
Team FMI is incredibly proud of what our 2026 Future Leaders accomplished and grateful to everyone who continues to invest in the future of food retail leadership.
Learn More About Future Leaders
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.
