Over the past week, our members in Hurricane Florence’s path experienced waves of destruction and frustration, but they maintained constant communication with their private sector contacts at FEMA and faster transitioned this natural disaster crisis from a response effort to recovery mode.

By 2022 - just four years from now – we project consumers will be spending $100 billion on online groceries. That is the equivalent of every U.S. household spending $850 online for food and groceries. Are you and your company ready for that?

Did you know that in-store mobile phone use and actual mobile phone use patterns lead to increased purchases? These are the findings from a recent research study reported in the July 2018 issue of the Journal of Marketing. The study’s authors conclude that our mobile phones distract us. They divert us from our conventional shopping patterns, we spend more time in the store, and we spend more time examining products and prices on the shelves. This behavior results in buying more products.

As FMI prepares to release 68th annual edition of The Food Retailing Industry Speaks (Speaks) report, I thought I would give you a preview of what we will be revealing. I am happy to report that the food retail industry is riding a number of positive trends, while grappling with unprecedented challenges to their businesses. But food retailers have shown themselves to be resilient by taking proactive approaches and fine-tuning their strategies. The result has been an improved financial picture and renewed optimism for this year and the future.