Registration is open for the Independent Grocers Alliance Centennial Global Rally & Awards Gala, a three-day celebration marking 100 years of independent grocers, their wholesalers and the Red Oval manufacturing partners and service providers who support them. The event takes place Sept. 17-19 in Atlanta. Registration closes Aug. 19 at igarally.com, and hotel accommodations at the Signia Hotel are part of a limited room block.
IGA retailers, suppliers and partners from around the world gather at the rally, which will culminate with the IGA Centennial Awards of Excellence Gala honoring the retailers who have shaped the alliance’s first 100 years.
“One hundred years ago, a group of independent grocers came together because they knew they were stronger united than alone. That spirit is exactly what we’re celebrating in Atlanta,” said John Ross, president and CEO of IGA.
“This rally is our chance to thank the retailers, partners and communities who have carried that mission forward for a century, and to set the course for the next hundred years,” he added.
Event agenda
The celebration opens Thursday, Sept. 17, with a reception at the Signia Hotel. Friday, Sept. 18, features education sessions and a vendor showcase at Coca-Cola headquarters, followed by the IGA Speakeasy Bash at City Winery.
Saturday, Sept. 19, begins with breakfast at the Signia Hotel, followed by a choice of guided Atlanta store tours, a day at the Georgia Aquarium or a visit to the World of Coca-Cola Museum. The Centennial Awards of Excellence Gala takes place that evening at the Georgia Aquarium. All events are included with registration.
Business sessions
Ross opens Friday’s program with “The State of IGA: A New Era for Independent Grocers,” examining IGA’s founding vision and why the independent model is positioned to thrive.
Kasey Lobaugh, chief futurist for Deloitte’s consumer industry practice, will present “The Forces Changing Our World: Demographics, Data & Global Trends,” unpacking six forces reshaping how businesses compete: shifting consumer behavior, evolving society and culture, advances in technology, industry upheaval, energy and climate pressures and a changing regulatory landscape.
The program also includes:
- “Feeding the City,” a fireside chat between Ross and a special guest on food insecurity and how independent grocers and city leadership can work together to bring fresh, affordable food to underserved neighborhoods;
- a global marketing perspective from Grant Ramage of IGA Australia;
- a panel of past IGA International Retailer of the Year honorees on where the shopper is headed next; and
- a discussion with IGA Inc. board members, moderated by Ross, on the next decade of independent retail.
Registration details
Parties of four or more receive 10 percent off registration with code IGA10, and children 12 and under attend free. Full event details, the complete agenda and hotel booking information are available at igarally.com.
Founded in 1926, Chicago-based IGA is the world’s largest voluntary supermarket network, with aggregate worldwide retail sales of more than $43 billion per year. The alliance includes more than 7,500 stores globally, with operations in 46 states and more than 25 countries.
Related: IGA Centennial USA Retailers Of The Year Recognized