As of this week, 39 state legislatures are actively meeting and will address many issues as laid out in the FMI 50 State Outlook. An annual publication, FMI interviews state grocer and retail associations as well as FMI members on what issues they expect to face in the upcoming state legislative sessions.

In a highly innovative, yet continuously developing market, comes the need for direction in how to follow changing consumer behaviors and best capture buyer dollars seeking plant-based alternatives. To achieve that goal, FMI produced a three-part webinar series on the plant-based topic that offers an in-depth analysis of the booming plant-based industry.

As a professional meeting planner and principal on event logistics for the food industry association, I increasingly challenge our team to make sustainability a goal by either donating uneaten food or partnering with facilities to divert waste from landfill. This year, at the 2020 Midwinter Executive Conference, we considered a pilot with our partner Unilever, which will now serve as a case study for 2020 and beyond.

Oscar Gonzalez, co-president and COO of Northgate Gonzalez Market, is chairman of FMI's 2020 Midwinter Executive Conference and a true leader when it comes to creating genuine experiences that hold true to his company’s personality. Under Oscar’s leadership we’ve created a program that pushes the imagination, asks provocative questions and delivers on tomorrow’s promises, but first, I invite you to hear from him on important emerging issues including the new marketplace, workforce, community relations, and health and well-being.