The National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association concluded its 2026 convention at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland, on Oct. 20. This year, a record number of industry professionals conducted more than 7,500 business appointments over three days of meetings, networking, innovation and education.
“The NFRA Convention continues to demonstrate the power of bringing the industry together face-to-face,” said Tricia Greyshock, the organization’s president and CEO. “With more than 7,500 business appointments conducted, the unveiling of our 2030 Strategy and the launch of our new consumer demand generation platform, this year’s convention wasn’t just about making connections; it was about building the future of the frozen and refrigerated foods industry.”
2030 Strategy and demand generation
NFRA unveiled its 2030 Strategy, a member-informed roadmap built around five priorities:
- strengthening retailer engagement
- transforming demand generation
- elevating insights and best practices
- expanding leadership development
- enhancing member value.
A cornerstone of the plan, the association’s new Demand Generation platform will evolve NFRA’s promotional efforts, which include March Frozen Food Month, June Dairy Month and the Summer Favorites ice cream promotion, into an integrated, always-on engine designed to amplify member marketing, activate through retailers and drive long-term category demand.
Awards and emerging brands
The 2026 Golden Penguin Awards recognized marketing and merchandising achievements, with Top Marketer honors presented for March Frozen Food Month, June Dairy Month and Summer Favorites Ice Cream & Novelties promotions.
In the Penguin Pitch competition, Folkland Foods was named NFRA’s 2026 Emerging Brand of the Year, with additional honors going to DiFara for best promotional strategy, Frönen for most disruptive product and Skinny Butcher for most creative packaging. Manufacturers and emerging brands also showcased products at the Taste of Excellence opening reception and Café NFRA sampling destination.
The convention marked the second year of the First Penguin Leadership Program, with emerging leaders presenting case study solutions, and educational programming covered private brands, artificial intelligence, innovation and evolving shopper behavior. Members elected new officers and board members for 2026-2027 at the 82nd Annual Membership Luncheon.
The 2027 NFRA Convention takes place Oct. 9-12 in San Diego, with registration opening March 1.
NFRA Convention • Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center • National Harbor, MD
