The Food Systems for the Future Institute (FSFI), with Chef José Andrés serving as honorary co‑host, convened the 2026 Grocery Retail for All Summit on June 18 at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC). More than 200 attendees representing 186 organizations and 41 states gathered to identify, elevate and accelerate solutions that strengthen grocery retail […]
Category: Association News
Posted inAssociation News, Featured News, Midwest, News
OGA Partners With MRGA For Association Management
The Ohio Grocers Association (OGA) has entered into a new management partnership with the Midwest Retail & Grocery Alliance (MRGA), a move designed to strengthen operations while maintaining its commitment to serving the state’s grocery industry. The partnership will provide OGA with additional administrative and operational support while preserving the association’s mission, priorities, advocacy efforts […]
Posted inExecutive News, Association News, News, Northeast
PFMA Adds Cotherman, Middleton To Board Of Directors
The Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association (PFMA) has appointed Ryan Middleton, government affairs senior manager for PepsiCo’s Northeast U.S. region, and Michael Cotherman, senior national account manager with McLane Co., to the PFMA Board of Directors. Middleton succeeds Deriece Harrington on the board, while Cotherman replaces Charles Irons. Michael Cotherman Cotherman brings 28 years of experience […]
Posted inWholesaler/Distributor News, Association News, Featured News, National, News
ROFDA Fall Conference To Follow Sold-Out Spring Event
Retailer Owned Food Distributors & Associates (ROFDA) soon will open applications and registration for its fall 2026 conference, set for Nov. 3-7 at the Renaissance Esmeralda Resort in Indian Wells, California, part of the Palm Desert area. The announcement follows a sold-out spring event that drew record attendance, with ROFDA citing strong early demand for […]
Posted inCenter Store, Association News, Featured News, National, News, West
Grocery Buyers To Emerging Brands: Come Ready And Be Willing To Listen
Editor’s note: The CPG Convergence Conference was dedicated to the memory of Navigator Lighthouse Foundation co-founder Allen Pierce, who died unexpectedly the week before the event. Read our remembrance here. Getting a product onto a grocery shelf is hard. Keeping it there is harder. That was the throughline as a group of Southern California retail […]
Posted inCenter Store, Association News, West
Remembering Allen Pierce, a Driving Force Behind the CPG Convergence Conference
PLAYA VISTA, Calif. — Allen McKnight Pierce, Jr., co-founder of the Navigator Lighthouse Foundation and a driving force behind the CPG Convergence Conference, died June 18, one week before the June 25 event. He never saw it come to life, but it did, filling the room with the founders, retailers and investors he had worked […]
Posted inAssociation News, Bakery News, Dairy News, Deli News, National, News
What Grocers Should Be Focusing On Post-IDDBA
The trends from IDDBA 2026 point to several opportunities for independent grocers from expanded offerings to permissible indulgence.
Posted inExecutive News, Association News, Frozen Food, National, News
AFFI Adds Blake As SVP Of Communications
The American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI) has named Carol Blake as SVP of communications, effective June 15. In this role, Blake will lead AFFI’s integrated communications strategy, including public affairs, media relations, stakeholder engagement, member communications, and brand positioning. Blake brings more than 30 years of public affairs experience to the position. She previously served […]