The Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association (PFMA) recently brought together leaders from across the food and beverage industry for its 2025 Annual Conference.
The event included two days of networking, education sessions and special recognitions, including the presentation of the newly renamed Lisa Dell’Alba Food Industry Trailblazer Award to Tom Charley, co-owner of Charley Family Shop ’N Save.
The new title pays tribute to Dell’Alba, PFMA’s former chair and longtime friend who died earlier this year. Charley was honored for his commitment to the food and beverage industry and his leadership as a PFMA board member.
“The PFMA Annual Conference continues to be the premier event for our members to make meaningful connections, share ideas and celebrate the incredible work happening across our industry,” said Alex Baloga, PFMA president and CEO.
“We’re proud to bring our members together for these important conversations and to honor leaders like Tom Charley, whose dedication has made a lasting impact on Pennsylvania’s food and beverage industry.”
The event also included a dedicated wholesaler meeting, providing a focused platform for industry discussions and collaboration. Attendees also explored the latest products and services during a mini trade show, where vendors showcased solutions designed to support and grow Pennsylvania’s food and beverage businesses.
The evening celebration featured a special message from Pennsylvania First Lady Lori Shapiro, who praised the food and beverage industry’s role in supporting the state’s communities and driving economic growth.
Educational programming at the conference included two sessions. The first, “Supporting a Neurodivergent Workforce,” featured insights on creating more inclusive workplaces from Wawa, Popcorn for the People, the AJ Drexel Autism Institute and the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation.
The second session, “From Response to Recovery: Crisis Communication & Coordination,” featured panelists from C&S Wholesale Grocers, PEMA, PA DHS and Northeast Shared Services, who shared practical strategies for business resilience and disaster preparedness.
PFMA’s next major event, the 2025 Fall Legislative Conference, is set for Oct. 7–8 at the Hershey Country Club.
About PFMA
The Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association, a statewide trade association, advocates the views of more than 600 convenience stores, supermarkets, independent grocers, wholesalers and consumer product vendors. PFMA members operate more than 3,000 stores and employ some 300,000 Pennsylvanians.
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