In thinking through the conversations at the FMI Executive Forum Roundtable discussions last June, and in other conversations with fresh grocery leadership since then, it has struck me that there was a lot of consensus on the issues of the day, and how solutions to the challenges are a lot more difficult to find that same level of consensus.

There is little doubt that the leading high-tech producers have discovered the consumer goods and food retailing marketplace. In some cases, technology providers are working as our partners, working together to find automated solutions to problems and analytical tools to fuel growth. In other cases, they are developing business models that can appear to be in competition with the industry models we have grown accustomed to.

As we approach the holidays, your stores are bustling with shoppers trying to find the perfect meal for their family and friends. Pork tenderloin is a staple for many holiday tables, as evidenced by Google yielding nearly 1.6 million results for recipe ideas. While the pork dish itself might earn rave reviews, the topic of pork quality and the new pork grading proposal for pork tenderloin won’t likely come up in dinner conversation unless you’re a retailer.

The lineup of sessions at the upcoming 2018 FMI Midwinter Executive Conference is organized to provide answers to questions you have about how to meet challenges and take advantage of the opportunities of a fast-changing industry. We have assembled a great group of thought leaders and experts who have their fingers on the pulse of the food retail industry for dynamic education sessions in Miami. You’ll be able to evaluate the disruptive changes throughout retail and ecommerce and see that now is the time to innovate, collaborate and partner in new ways.