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With a shared passion for supporting independent grocers and cultivating the next generation of industry leaders, Greg Ferrara, President and CEO of the National Grocers Association, and Dennis Host, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Coborn’s, a 135+ location Midwest chain, discuss Host’s unconventional path into the grocery industry, key lessons he’s learned along the way and how retailers can position themselves for success in a constantly evolving landscape.
A Journey into Grocery Leadership
Ferrara: Dennis, you’ve had an incredible journey into the grocery industry. Could you share how it all started?
Host: After a 25-year career in marketing in the newspaper industry, by a twist of fate when I wasn’t looking, Coborn’s reached out to me to see if I would be interested in a position in marketing as part of a succession plan. In a major leap of faith (who leaves a career and a company at a 25-year milestone…), I took on my first role here as E-commerce Marketing Manager. I worked in a grocery store in high school as a stock boy and bagger – that’s about all I knew about grocery.
Over the last 12+ years, I’ve had the privilege to lead an amazingly talented team of marketing professionals in our company. I’ve learned so, so much about this amazing industry, am grateful to the company leaders who have entrusted me to lead this part of our business and more so, I’m so grateful to my talented team for making me look good. They are the orchestra that brings all the “music” together…I’m just the conductor that keeps us all on the same page.
Lessons in Leadership: Change and Service
Ferrara: That is quite a journey! Building on that, what would you say are the most valuable lessons you’ve learned in this business?
Host: That change is constant. Constant!!! There are so many moving and complex parts to the business, you must be nimble and scrappy, able to adapt quickly, manage multiple things simultaneously, and that at the end of the day, all that we do is in support and service to our teams and most importantly, to our guests.
Additionally, while the work is always gratifying, it’s also challenging. We have seen so many things come our way over the last years (economic factors, COVID, inflation, supply chain challenges, etc), it’s amazing to think how we continue to rise to those things that come from out of the blue and we just find our way through them with focus, pace and grace, through leadership, care and support of our teams. Nothing worth doing is ever easy.
Tackling Industry Challenges with Relationships and Collaboration
Ferrara: That dedication to service is what makes independent grocers so special. It’s one of the reasons NGA is so committed to providing resources to help retailers navigate these complexities. Let’s talk about those challenges – can you expand on how your team tackles them?
Host: I would say the strategy I most lean on is relationships with trusted business partners and colleagues in the industry who help me more than anything else. Leaning on others who are going through similar challenges with candor and a willingness to share allows us to learn so much from the paths they’ve taken, what successes they’ve had. What they’ve learned when something didn’t go right is more helpful than any technology could ever accomplish for us. In this industry, we have met so many good people and have so many relationships with industry contacts that help us in multiple ways. I can’t think of any other industry that comes together with such willingness to help each other and support each other’s successes and growth. It’s truly remarkable.
We appreciate that the NGA provides multiple avenues by which we can come together to learn, share and grow, through leadership training, The NGA Show and more. Participating in these in various ways has allowed me to meet amazing friends and colleagues and learn so much about the industry.
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Innovating for Today’s Consumer
Ferrara: Let’s look to the future – with consumer habits evolving so quickly, what innovations should retailers focus on to stay ahead?
Host: There’s an age-old saying in marketing, “Know thy customer.” That is so true, and so valuable to our work. What that looks like from company to company differs, of course, but what has changed for us, specifically, has been the implementation of our loyalty platform in 2016, and all we’ve learned from the data we get from our guests who are enrolled in our program. It informs so much of what we do and allows us to be far more relevant and have a significantly more personal relationship with our guests. Whatever technology platform or partnerships a grocer needs to employ to get there, it is well worth it. Consumers are changing constantly…knowing how, why and what they’re telling us through data makes our difficult jobs a bit easier. While we are a grocery retailer at our core, I never realized how we’ve also become so dependent on big data to help us drive our business.
Ferrara: Data is such a valuable resource to retailers. We have some great partners at the NGA and who participate in the annual NGA Show, who really have helped groups like yours see how to digest the numbers and act. Your loyalty program and the insights you have gotten are a great example of how grocers can blend tradition with innovation to deliver customer service and loyalty.
Empowering the Next Generation of Grocery Leaders – Invest in Education & Personal Growth
Ferrara: What advice would you want to give the next generation of our industry?
Host: As human beings, we are naturally born to learn. Education and professional development are part of growth, both personally and in leadership roles. It’s imperative, either by oneself, or through the support of the companies we work for, to have an appetite for learning more and discovering our fullest potential as well as about how to grow our business through the knowledge of others.
Ferrara: Last question for today, what would you tell other independent grocers who are on the fence about attending events like The NGA Show?
Host: As I noted above, having a network of industry colleagues you can count on is vitally important to learning more about the industry. Having these connections and participating in NGA events has enriched our work immensely. Knowing I have business contacts who are likely facing the same challenges makes it all a bit easier – there is always more to learn!
Ferrara: It sounds like we will see you in Las Vegas! I am personally so excited about what we have planned – with so many opportunities to build relationships and learn from peers. Thank you so much for your time and I look forward to seeing you there in February!
About the speakers
Dennis Host is SVP of marketing and communications for Coborn’s, Inc., and oversees all marketing functions for the company including advertising and corporate communications, loyalty programs, brand strategy, social media, digital marketing, event marketing, store design, guest relations and e-commerce marketing efforts for the company.
Host has more than 35 years of experience in marketing, strategy, media management and digital. He joined Coborn’s Inc. in 2010 as the manager of e-commerce marketing at CobornsDelivers/Twin Cities after a 25-year career in media marketing with Gannett Inc. where he served in numerous marketing roles.
Greg Ferrara is the president and CEO of the Washington, D.C.-based National Grocers Association (NGA). NGA is the national trade association that is the voice of the retail and wholesale companies which comprise the independent sector of the supermarket industry, as well as those companies that provide products and services to the industry. In his role as president and CEO, Ferrara is responsible for working with NGA’s Board of Directors to develop and implement a strategic vision which advances the association’s efforts and public policy positions. Prior to being appointed president and CEO in September 2019, Ferrara served for many years in various leadership roles at NGA, including as the organization’s chief lobbyist.
The annual NGA Show is the only show created exclusively for the grocery industry – bringing together a community of retailers and wholesalers, food retail industry executives, food/CPG manufacturers, and service providers for unparalleled opportunities to learn, engage, share, network, and innovate. The 2025 event will take place February 23-25 at Caesar’s Forum in Las Vegas, NV. For more details, visit www.thengashow.com.
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