FMI – The Food Industry Association has launched GroceryLab, a hands-on event designed to bring together merchants, operators, technologists and brand leaders to design a zero-friction grocery ecosystem June 2-4 at the Gem Theatre in Detroit.
The launch of GroceryLab comes at a pivotal moment, as FMI’s The State of Technology report reveals that food retailers and suppliers invested more than $10 billion in technology in 2024, signaling the industry’s commitment to innovation.
“From the debut of the first POS machine in 1974 to the investment of $1.5 billion in technology and online delivery capabilities during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic to help feed the nation, our members have proven themselves to be tech-forward leaders shaping tomorrow,” said FMI President and CEO Leslie G. Sarasin.
“Our mission in creating this new forum for members is to reduce the friction between bold ideas and real-world execution. To us, GroceryLab is more than a gathering – it’s a launchpad.
“As the leading voice of the food industry, FMI has examined how its member companies are leveraging technology to strengthen their workforce, enhance e-commerce, improve analytics and elevate the customer experience. It’s our goal to give attendees a license to innovate, backed by actionable insights that tackle today’s biggest operational and innovation challenges head-on.”
To complement the association’s event portfolio, insights from leading industry executives highlight the message that technology is unlocking new opportunities across the food industry. However, they caution that success depends on strategic investment and prioritizing innovations that deliver measurable returns and an improved experience for shoppers.
Executives also stressed the critical role of robust data and cross-industry collaboration in driving sustainable, scalable growth.
In fact, FMI’s The State of Technology found that 47 percent of food retailers and 93 percent of food suppliers use artificial intelligence. Food retailers are incorporating an array of technology to aid with activities such as product traceability, inventory management and planning and asset protection.
Retailers are energizing in-store shopping and prioritizing technology experimentation. Eighty-six percent are experimenting with in-store technologies to improve efficiency; 80 percent are testing in-store technologies to enhance customer experiences; and 63 percent are trialing technologies to improve e-commerce strategies.
“The leaders we spoke with made it clear – while the future of technology is exciting, it’s the practical applications in driving incremental sales, attracting new customers, and boosting efficiency that truly move the needle,” Sarasin said.
“That’s exactly what this event is designed to deliver. We’re giving attendees a license to innovate, backed by actionable insights that directly address their most pressing challenges and unlock real business value.
“I want to extend my gratitude to our founding committee and our strategic consulting firm ThinkBlue who helped us develop GroceryLab. We believe it will serve as the food industry’s first cross-functional, behavior-shifting forum to reimagine how we serve the shopper in a world that moves at the speed of technology.”
Founding committee members are: David Blum, NextRivet; Jonathan Brown, TrendHunter; Gary Hawkins, CART; Tom Henry, Schnucks; Trey Holder, Brand Innovators; Nikki Laughlin, Thumzump Media Corp.; Suzy Monford, Food Sport International; Tom Furphy, Consumer Equity Partners; and Jeff Williams, Fair Warning Consulting.
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