The NGA Foundation team covered major ground this summer, attending state grocers’ association conventions, retail technology shows, food access summits, and several other events across the nation.
We take the opportunity at every event to listen and learn from independent grocers and their many partners—and to share the ways the Grocer Solutions Center can support their work.
Here’s what we heard along the way:
Access to Capital—Key for All Grocers
Funding access was the focus of the second-annual Grocery Retail for All Summit, according to the NGA Foundation’s Gabrielle Rumney, Project Manager, and Sarah Ahlgren, Foundation Coordinator.
During the daylong event held at the University of Illinois, Chicago, Gabrielle and Sarah connected with nonprofit and public grocers. They also heard from businesses like Potlikker Capital, which offers low-interest financing and grants to food producers and processors.
The goal of Grocery for All, which is organized by the Food Systems for the Future Institute, was to “spotlight the store models, financing tools, and public policies already keeping shelves stocked and doors open, and to accelerate the scaling of proven solutions that make affordable, nutritious food accessible in every community.”
Industry Ties are Family Ties
It felt like we were invited to a family reunion,” said NGA Foundation’s Brielle Underwood, the NGA Foundation’s Group Director, Grants, who attended the Alabama Grocers Association Annual Show along with Sarah Ahlgren. “We learned so much about how AGA works—and the enthusiasm from the grocers,” said Underwood, highlighting the deeply engaged crowd at the show’s well-attended fundraiser.
That warm Southern charm also came through in Myrtle Beach at the Carolina Food Industry Council Convention, representing both North and South Carolina. Gabby, who attended, remarked that you could truly see the family in family-owned businesses—especially at the beach! A Meeting of the Independents
NGA Foundation shared details of the Grocer Solutions Center’s free support and guidance at the Independent Retailer Forum—a first for the Carolina convention. Lindsey Kueffner, Executive Director of the Carolinas Food Industry Council (CFIC), told NGA Foundation that they’re excited about the potential of the forum and look forward to growing it in the years ahead.
“The idea was to give independent grocers an opportunity to learn about topics and issues that are especially relevant to independent operators,” Kueffner said. “We also wanted to create a meaningful opportunity for vendors to connect with independent grocers, share their latest innovations or introduce their products and services.”
AI is Here. Retailers, Get Ready.
In late July, Ted Mason, NGA Foundation’s Point of Sale expert, and Guy Berg, the Foundation’s EBT Payments expert, traveled to Las Vegas to attend RetailNOW 2026, an annual trade show for software vendors presented by the Retail Solutions Providers Association (RSPA).
Walking the exhibit hall at Caesar’s Forum, Ted and Guy spoke with vendors about cloud-connected, mobile hardware, flexible and data-driven commerce platforms, and formatting merchant data to support AI processing.
One major message, according to Guy: “AI has arrived and is ready to be implemented in retail.” So too was the increasing complexity of payments—and the importance of careful due diligence before choosing a partner.
The need for more education related to payment solutions was clearest to Ted during a lunchtime conversation: “None of the people we engaged with had considered the number of payment options now in use.”“Grocers need to be ready AND WILLING to learn about new challenges,” he continued. “Regardless of how small they may appear today.”
