Skip navigation

FMI WEIGHS STAGING A TOTALLY FRESH SHOW

WASHINGTON -- The Food Marketing Institute here is considering creating a total fresh foods trade show, which would encompass all aspects of the perishables industry in supermarkets, from produce to prepared meals.The supermarket trade association said last week it is studying several possibilities for structuring such a fresh foods show.One option would be a totally freestanding show, while another

WASHINGTON -- The Food Marketing Institute here is considering creating a total fresh foods trade show, which would encompass all aspects of the perishables industry in supermarkets, from produce to prepared meals.

The supermarket trade association said last week it is studying several possibilities for structuring such a fresh foods show.

One option would be a totally freestanding show, while another option under consideration is a separate fresh foods exhibit area and workshop track that would be held in conjunction with the FMI annual Supermarket Industry Convention each May in Chicago.

FMI said it is exploring the idea of a show addressing all the fresh departments in response to the expressed needs of its supermarket industry members.

The specific proposal for a fresh foods show has also emerged from a more general strategy laid out by FMI's current action plan, according to Karen Brown, senior vice president of FMI.

Brown told SN that the notion of doing a comprehensive fresh foods show is still in its infancy.

"We're just looking at the feasibility of the idea," said Brown last week. "There have been no decisions made on anything."

However, the idea has been developed far enough, apparently, to make it prudent to inform other industry trade associations about it.

FMI sent a letter in mid-August to a number of associations with which it currently cosponsors educational conferences regarding individual aspects of fresh food marketing. Those conferences include the Annual Produce Conference and the Annual Meat Marketing Conference.

Tim Hammonds, president and chief executive officer of FMI, said in the letter sent to FMI's conference cosponsors that the institute did not want to compete with existing industry fresh food events.

"You can be assured that we will do our best to structure whatever new approach we take to allow us to continue the separate conference that we now do with you," Hammonds wrote.

"The audiences may well be different and the time of year will certainly be different. In particular, we are very sensitive to the desirability of avoiding competition with other perishables events already existing," the letter said.

The National-American Wholesale Grocers' Association, Falls Church, Va., is a cosponsor of both the meat marketing conference and the produce conference. Its president, Jack Block, confirmed that he had received notification from FMI that the association was considering creating a separate fresh foods industry event.

"I'm aware of it, but I don't know anything more than that," said Block. He told SN he couldn't comment further on FMI's proposal, since he didn't have any further details.

Currently, no single industry convention encompasses every aspect of perishables, although FMI's annual convention does count some of the biggest fresh food manufacturers as exhibitors each year, and its seminar schedule typically touches on a number of important issues related to fresh foods.

TAGS: Center Store