FMI has united with retailers, industry experts, and suppliers to help reduce the rate of allergen recalls. The Center for Retail Food Safety and Defense, in conjunction with the Safe Quality Food Institute (SQFI), will coordinate best allergen labeling practices with a grant from the FMI Foundation to improve customer safety.

It’s this commitment to people, community and financial dexterity that we celebrate annually as the FMI Store Manager Award. It’s my pleasure and honor to announce our 11 finalists, four of whom will be named winners of the 2017 award in June.

Shoppers maintain a high degree of trust and confidence in their grocery store to keep food safe. According FMI’s 2016 U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends, nearly 9 in 10 shoppers having confidence in the safety of food at the grocery store. With trust comes responsibility--the responsibility to protect your customer and your brand.

Whether it’s making a career change, pitching a new idea, or implementing a new program, there are times in our careers where we take a leap of faith. As professionals, we seem to learn the most at the crossroads of success and failure, and discover the strength of our determination and resilience.