One of the most impactful FMI events, the Annual Business Conference (ABC), has brought suppliers and retail partners together for face-to-face joint business planning meetings for years. The event works because it is simple, effective and focuses on creating collaboration throughout the industry. But, in this fast-paced, changing business environment that doesn’t mean things should stay the same. This year we’re adding to the event and creating ABC + Discovery, an expansion of the event’s mission that takes into account the rapidly changing face of the food retail industry.

FMI share groups are one of the premier member benefits for FMI members, particularly for independent operator members. Share groups provide a confidential forum for the open exchange of ideas, strategies and problem solving techniques among owners, chief executive officers, chief operating officers and senior executives of non-competing member companies.

As anyone with any debating experience can attest, the toughest opponent to counter is the one who is allowed to keep changing the terms, reconfiguring the terminology or moving the vocabulary goal posts. This is an important lesson to remember regarding animal welfare issues.

Specialty foods and beverages represent the sweet spot in food retailing today. Sales hit $127 billion last year, climbing 15 percent from 2014 to 2016, while total retail food sales grew 2.3 percent, according to the Specialty Food Association’s annual State of the Industry report.