ARLINGTON, Va. — Cathy Polley, vice president, pharmacy services, Food Marketing Institute, told SN the GMDC Health Beauty Wellness Marketing Conference is a great fit as a co-location partner for FMI’s annual Supermarket Pharmacy Conference. Both conferences will take place Sept. 11-14 at the Marriott Grand Lakes, Orlando, Fla., it was announced yesterday.
“This partnership allows us to go beyond just the pharmacy role of our conference and really move into that health and wellness space,” Polley said.
FMI has been negotiating the partnership deal with Colorado Springs-based Global Marketing Development Center since late last year, she added.
In the past, FMI has co-located the pharmacy conference with the FMI Show, which now takes place every other year between an educational event. This year’s FMI education event is Future Connect in Dallas, May 4-6.
The new combined FMI pharmacy/GMDC format will offer collaborative strategic planning with key industry partners during prearranged appointments. Education sessions will address the role of health, wellness and beauty care in the lives of shoppers and will include pharmacy-focused sessions related to current industry issues.
During the conference FMI will release the 2009 Supermarket Pharmacy Trends report, and GMDC will present its multi-year research project, Consumer Shopping Habits for Wellness and Environmentally Conscious Lifestyles.
“Retailers and wholesalers will benefit from being able to meet with pharmacy and HBW suppliers to discuss new ways to integrate health and wellness into what they provide their customers,” said David McConnell, president and chief executive officer of GMDC, in a press statement.
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