By: Carol Abel, Vice President, Education Program Development, Food Marketing Institute

Are you ready for an FMI Midwinter Executive Conference like you’ve never experienced before?

The invitation-only annual event will undergo a transformation this year, making it easier and more convenient for senior-level food retail executives to find the partners they’re looking for, get the vital information they need to grow their businesses and interact with their industry peers.

Here’s what’s new in 2017:

• A shift in time frame – to a Friday-to-Monday format – will allow you to streamline your activities during this conference, all while allowing you more time for vital one-on-one connections with colleagues and potential partners. See who’ll be there!
• A new event schedule means there will be more meeting slots for the popular Strategic Executive Exchange (SEE), those valuable strategic conversations that will be so important as you make your plans for the coming year. Even though there will be more meeting slots, schedule your appointments now. Already more than 100 companies have started setting their appointments, so don’t delay another day!
• 12 in-depth education sessions and three keynote addresses and executive roundtables where you will quickly get up to speed on:
  • Which global trends are driving industry change;
  • How consumer food purchasing decisions are made today and why it matters to you;
  • When business model shifts will create profit margin pressures and opportunities; and
  • What you need to know to take advantage of the growth of digital shopping.
• Best of all, a new, no-suit, no-tie FMI Foundation event – Stir It Up! – an exciting friendly competition in which teams of food industry leaders like yourself will showcase their culinary artistry and create great family meals. Attendees will get a chance to determine who wins the prizes for dishing up the best breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Don’t miss any of the new FMI Midwinter Executive Conference, January 27-30, in Scottsdale, Arizona!