Retail Leaders Champion Fresh Food Opportunities

<p>By Rick Stein, Vice President of Fresh Foods, FMI<strong> </strong><br /></p><p><img src="https://www.fmi.org/images/default-source/blog-images/freshforward-2024.tmb-large-350-.jpg?Culture=en&amp;sfvrsn=3323fbab_1" style="float:right;margin:10px;" class="-align-right" alt="FreshForward 2024" sf-size="4862328" />The food industry benefits when top leaders drive inspiration and alignment.</p><p>That is why each of the three education tracks at the recent FMI FreshForward conference in San Diego was introduced by a top food retail leader. The tracks focused on emerging consumer trends; tech and AI; and sustainability and packaging. The three leaders who made introductions oversee Giant Eagle, Wakefern Food Corp., and Northgate Gonzalez Market. <br /></p><p>Let me outline how these leaders&rsquo; remarks provided guidance and inspiration for the industry. &nbsp;<s></s><br /></p><h5>Emerging Consumer Trends Hold Promise<strong> </strong></h5><p>Bill Artman, CEO, Giant Eagle, urged the fresh industry to stay on top of shifting consumer trends. He introduced the FreshForward panel that spotlighted trends including convenience; omnichannel; price and value; health and well-being; and multicultural.<br /></p><p>&ldquo;Commit to capitalizing on emerging trends,&rdquo; Artman emphasized.<br /></p><p>He said one example of capitalizing on trends is to &ldquo;commit to value-added fresh offerings&rdquo; that support shopper desires for freshness, foodservice and convenience. The fresh segment is well positioned to respond to changing shopper needs, he added.<br /></p><p>&ldquo;Trust in the importance that fresh food offerings have with consumers. It&rsquo;s a primary differentiator against many competitors.&rdquo;<br /></p><h5>Tech and AI Present Key Opportunities<strong> </strong></h5><p>Industry leaders need to embrace technology and AI to drive progress on the business and consumer-facing sides of fresh foods, said Mike Stigers, president, Wakefern Food Corp. <br /></p><p>&nbsp;&ldquo;The future of fresh will be enhanced by technology,&rdquo; Stigers emphasized. <br /></p><p>He outlined a few ways that emerging technology is helping Wakefern make progress, including the following:</p><ul><li>Software tools are helping to monitor perishables supplier performance. </li><li>Other tools are enhancing the retailer&rsquo;s forecasting and replenishment practices.</li><li>A pilot project at the retailer&rsquo;s headquarters taps into advanced technology to test creative checkout solutions.</li><li>The retailer&rsquo;s customer contact team uses AI to reduce time spent on administrative tasks to devote more time to customer engagement.</li><li>AI solutions combat shrink and theft.<br /></li></ul><p>&ldquo;We&rsquo;re just beginning to understand AI&rsquo;s impact on fresh and the overall store,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;An exciting opportunity awaits us.&rdquo; <br /></p><h5>Sustainability and Packaging Drive Strategies</h5><p>Oscar Gonzalez, co-president of Northgate Gonzalez Market, relayed his company&rsquo;s sustainability strategies while also sharing the unique back story of the retailer.<br /></p><p>Oscar is the youngest of 13 children whose father came to the U.S. from Mexico and eventually was able to bring his family along. In 1980 his father opened a small grocery store in Anaheim, Calif. That business would eventually grow into today&rsquo;s 44-store Northgate operation focused on authentic Mexican food experiences. The Gonzalez family still leads the business, and Gonzalez said he is &ldquo;excited about the next generation of leaders in the company.&rdquo; <br /></p><p>Gonzalez introduced FreshForward&rsquo;s sustainability panel, and I&rsquo;m excited he did so in a presentation that included mention of the next generation. <br /></p><p>&ldquo;Our commitment to sustainability is reflected in our efforts to reduce our carbon footprint and to protect our planet through responsible product sourcing, minimizing packaging and supporting sustainable agriculture,&rdquo; he said. <br /></p><p>He said the company is pursuing sustainability strategies that involve aspects of the business ranging from transportation to refrigeration. <br /></p><h5>Taking Action to Advance the Fresh Industry</h5><p>The key points from speakers were examined in breakout groups of attendees. These groups, a signature component of FreshForward, identify action steps to help the industry drive success. The most important steps identified will be presented in an upcoming &lsquo;Action Guide&rsquo; made available to attendees &mdash; and later to the wider industry.</p><p>I&rsquo;m so pleased that FreshForward &mdash; held in collaboration with Deloitte &mdash; continues to grow its reputation each year for energizing the industry around key opportunities. The guidance and inspiration from top leaders is essential to this success.&nbsp;</p><p><a href="https://www.fmi.org/events-education/calendar" class="button">Check out more FMI events</a></p>

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