7:45 AM - 6:45 PM 

CONFERENCE REGISTRATION OPEN

Explore the current health of independent community grocers in today's environment and the impact that they post-pandemic economy, inflation, supply chain and consumer habits are having on merchants.   

 CLOSING THE GENERATION GAP IN YOUR BUSINESS 

Gen Z – young people born between 1997 and 2012 – are the most racially and ethnically diverse of any generation. They are the first generation that has entirely grown up with the Internet. There are 67 million of them, and they are the future of your business. Independent grocers need to connect with this younger audience as shoppers, and engage and retain them as talent to help lead their business. Learn strategies for appealing to Gen Z’s need for community, their social consciousness and their concerns for the future, and how to leverage their entrepreneurial spirit.

SPEAKER

Myriam Vidalon, Chief Diversity, Talent and Culture Officer, NielsenIQ

Join NGA in celebrating our 40-year milestone of being at the heart of the independent supermarket industry. This special evening will feature a nod to our past, honor our founding members and look ahead to what the future holds for our community of independent grocers and wholesalers, and your trade association.  Be on the lookout for special guests throughout the evening to help commemorate the rich history and legacy of independent community grocers.

ECONOMIC OUTLOOK: COPING WITH A SUPPLY CHAIN PLAYING CATCH UP

The product pipeline is still a challenge for independent retailers, with global turmoil compounding the pressures of high fuel prices, a nationwide labor shortage and pandemic-related confusion.  This session will discuss how retailers, wholesalers, manufacturers and logistics providers are working together to make the best of less than optimum conditions

Attorney and national food safety expert Bill Marler will discuss his pioneering case work representing plaintiffs impacted by contaminated food and offer his thoughts on how food retailer and manufacturers can do a better job enacting food safety procedures and communicating recalls to consumers. Marler has become the most prominent foodborne illness lawyer in America and a major force in food policy in the United States and around the world. His practice – Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm – has represented thousands of individuals in tainted-product claims against food companies.

SPEAKER

Bill Marler, Managing Partner, Marler Clark LLP, PS

ARE YOU SELLING WHAT PEOPLE ACTUALLY WANT TO BUY?  

Who is your target audience and what do they want to buy? It’s fine to offer variety, but are people actually buying what’s on your shelves? We analyze what trends are driving shopping behaviors, what products are emerging to satisfy them, and how that translates into sales.

THE TALENT SHOW: ATTRACTING, RETAINING, AND MAINTAINING

Counteracting the “Great Resignation” is no small task. The pandemic has permanently changed how people prioritize work, from what they do and where they do it to who they do it for. Money is no longer enough. Here’s how your culture should be evolving to attract the right talent to keep growing your business.

NGA CUSTOMER CONNECTION (NGA Associate Members Only)

In a closed, intimate environment, industry suppliers and solution providers (Associate Members) will hear from an innovative independent retailer on their business objectives, growth strategies, and how trading partners can collaborate to meet the needs of their community.

UNDERSTANDING CRYPTOCURRENCY AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOUR BUSINESS

It’s a concept that few understand, but it’s making inroads in retail. This session explores the role cryptocurrency could play in expanding payment options for your customers.

THE TALENT SHOW: MAXIMIZING THE SHOPPER EXPERIENCE WITH LOYALTY DATA

Because they reveal what sells, who’s buying it and why, shopper insights may be the most important investment you can make. But exactly what does it tell you? This session offers a roadmap to a better shopping experience that keeps folks coming back.

NGA CUSTOMER CONNECTION

In a closed, intimate environment, industry suppliers and solution providers (Associate Members) will hear from an innovative independent retailer on their business objectives, growth strategies, and how trading partners can collaborate to meet the needs of their community. 

Renowned public policy analyst Bruce Mehlman will offer summit attendees insight into the shifting political landscape leading up to the 2022 midterm elections and the potential impact on businesses in the United States. With more than two decades of experience in public policy, business and the law, Mehlman is a highly sought-after keynote speaker on policy and political trends, regularly headlining business conferences and strategic planning sessions. His quarterly infographic analyses are consistently picked-up by national media and eagerly consumed by tens of thousands of readers around the world. He has discussed trends on television networks and shows including Showtime’s “The Circus,” CNBC, Fox News, Fox Business and Hearst. He served as assistant secretary of commerce for technology policy under President George W. Bush. He also worked as a senior leadership aide in the House of Representatives, general counsel to a national political party committee and policy counsel to Cisco Systems. 

SPEAKER

Bruce Mehlman, Founding Partner, Mehlman Castagnetti Rosen & Thomas

Enjoy a guided tour of DC’s most prominent monuments after dark in support of the NGA Foundation. Attendees will start the evening with heavy hors d’oeuvres and refreshments and then be taken around the city for one-of-a-kind views of these iconic monuments. Proceeds will benefit the Foundation’s programs in support of students, leadership development, and diversity & inclusion.

7:00 AM - 11:30 AM 

CONFERENCE REGISTRATION OPEN

KEYNOTE PRESENTATION

THE FUTURE OF NUTRITION INCENTIVES 

A new Farm Bill is coming, and how it treats nutrition incentive programs means a lot for independent grocers. This session explores the potential impact of the new legislation on your fresh produce sales and your ability to serve the food insecure members of your community.

 HOW TO LEAD ON SUSTAINABILITY

Consumers and prospective employees are making sustainability a priority in deciding who to work for and how to spend their money. Are you a good corporate citizen where the environment is concerned?

NGA CUSTOMER CONNECTION (NGA Associate Members Only) 

In a closed, intimate environment, industry suppliers and solution providers (Associate Members) will hear from an innovative independent retailer on their business objectives, growth strategies, and how trading partners can collaborate to meet the needs of their community. 

With the midterm elections just weeks away, what can independent grocers expect from the next Congress? What will a shift in power in either house mean for grocery operators? NGA’s government relations team breaks down the issues and reviews their priorities for the coming months.

SPEAKER

Chris Jones, Senior Vice President, Government Relations & Counsel, National Grocers Association 

(Advanced Registration Required)

Join your industry peers and the NGA Government Relations team on visits with government agencies and the Administration to discuss the issues that are important and unique to the independent grocery industry.