Jun 1, 2015

FMI to Lead Panel Discussion on Improved Grocer–Supplier Relations with Kroger, Kraft, Coca-Cola and Campbell 

ARLINGTON, Va. – June 1, 2015 – Food Marketing Institute (FMI) in partnership with Market6, a leading provider of collaboration solutions for grocers and their suppliers, today announced the FMI Collaboration 2.0 project, a multiyear initiative to help grocers and manufacturers improve how they work together around key shared business processes to grow sales, profits and customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Pat Walsh, Chief Business Development Officer and Supply Chain VP for FMI, will formally announce the initiative by leading a panel discussion in Chicago at FMI Connect 2015 on Collaboration 2.0: A Next-Generation Model of Better, Consumer-Focused Partnerships. The panel discussion will be Tuesday, June 9, from 8:00 to 8:50 a.m. CT. 

The goal of the FMI Collaboration 2.0 project is to help grocers and suppliers bring more customer-focused decision-making into categories and stores around shared business processes including supply chain execution, inventory optimization, execution of promotions and introduction of new items.

"At FMI, we’re constantly looking for ways to help food retailing merchants and their manufacturing partners make their work together as trading partners more efficient, profitable and customer focused," said Walsh. "The FMI Collaboration 2.0 Project is designed to highlight best practice collaboration examples from the industry today and provide a road map to help others leverage and build on those models within their own organizations."

Additionally, FMI’s Walsh will share information on the organizational, business process and technical changes needed to improve collaboration.

This initiative is being launched at the 2015 FMI Connect Conference with a panel discussion that will include speakers from Kroger, a leader in the field, and three of their key suppliers, Kraft, Coca-Cola and Campbell’s.
- Mel Bomprezzi, VP of Merchandising, The Kroger Co.
- Mike Cinque, President, Kroger Team, The Coca-Cola Company-
- Colleen Flaherty, VP of Sales, Kraft Foods, Inc.
- Geoff Kuzio, Customer Vice President–Kroger, Campbell Soup Company

During this session, FMI will release the white paper "Unlocking the Benefit of Collaboration," which was developed jointly with FMI member and knowledge partner, Market6. 

To register for FMI Connect and to attend this session, visit www.FMIConnect.net 

To learn more about the FMI Collaboration 2.0 project and to obtain a copy of the white paper "Unlocking the Benefit of Collaboration," please visit www.market6.com/collaborate.  

About FMI
Food Marketing Institute (FMI) proudly advocates on behalf of the food retail industry. FMI’s U.S. members operate nearly 40,000 retail food stores and 25,000 pharmacies, representing a combined annual sales volume of almost $770 billion. Through programs in public affairs, food safety, research, education, and industry relations, FMI offers resources and provides valuable benefits to more than 1,225 food retail and wholesale member companies in the United States and around the world. FMI membership covers the spectrum of diverse venues where food is sold, including single-owner grocery stores, large multi-store supermarket chains and mixed retail stores. For more information, visit www.fmi.org and for information regarding the FMI foundation, visit www.fmifoundation.org.

About Market6Market6, headquartered in Deerfield, Illinois, provides strategic collaborative planning and execution applications with built-in, advanced analytics to guide retailers and consumer packaged goods companies effortlessly toward smarter, faster and more proactive operational decisions and actions every day. It is used daily by several leading U.S. supermarket chains, including Kroger and Roundy’s, as well as more than 675 consumer packaged goods companies. Purpose built to improve daily retail operations and business results, Market6 delivers a simple packaged solution that allows teams to quickly and easily learn exactly what is happening in their businesses in real time and how best to respond. For more information or to request a demo, please visit market6.com or follow us on Twitter @M6Analytics.