The food industry recognizes that “family meal fatigue” is a real thing for everyone and that customers in all categories are in the same boat in which I find myself. We need help, solutions and new ideas to address the menu challenges of this period of home sheltering. And we need some encouragement to mix it up a little bit.

In the fresh industry, my area of focus at FMI, we need an opportunity not only to listen and learn, but also to converse, collaborate and plan action steps together. The need is great because the pandemic has scrambled so many of the traditional fresh industry story lines.

According to the 2020 U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends report, COVID-19 has fundamentally changed the way consumers shop for groceries and their expectations from food retailers and suppliers. We particularly see this in the demand for technology solutions to aid in new pressures we’re seeing from consumers related to COVID-19. From the rise in demand for online grocery shopping options to better supply chain data needs, it’s time for the food industry to re-evaluate our technology needs and consider some new opportunities.

Each day of Midsummer will kick off with a live streamed Insight Session, designed to offer thought leadership, insights and more on timely topics facing the industry. These sessions will be archived on the Midsummer virtual event platform and attendees can chat with select speakers during the live viewing.