EXFL is an exclusive forum for female executive leaders supporting the independent sector of the food retail industry, the inaugural meeting will provide: an interactive leadership development workshop, high-level analysis of key trends affecting the industry, exclusive education and networking event for members only, and purposeful networking to reinvigorate your personal network. Learn more, here. 

*separate registration required 

View meeting agenda, here.

7:30 AM - 6:45 PM 

CONFERENCE REGISTRATION OPEN

SPEAKERS 

Ted Balistreri, Owner, Sendik's Food Market & Chairman of the NGA Board of Directors 

Greg Ferrara, President and Chief Executive Officer, National Grocers Association 

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

MODERATOR 

Anne- Marie Roerink, Principal, 210 Analytics, LLC 

SPEAKERS

Leon Bergmann, Chief Executive Officer, Save A Lot 

Garret Piklapp, President, Fareway Stores, Inc. 

Daniel Nazario, Regional Vice President, Wholesale Accounts, Kellogg Company

TACKLING A MULTIGENERATIONAL WORKFORCE 

Members of the racially, socially and technologically diverse Gen Z – young people born between 1997 and 2012 – are the latest generation to join the workforce and are the future of your business. They’re joining a pool of labor dominated by Millennials and Generation X, and to a lesser extent by Baby Boomers, who are reaching retirement age. These groups represent a multitude of skills, opinions and ideals, so they can be a challenge to manage effectively. But they reflect the diverse world that you serve, so harnessing this diversity is a must for success. Learn strategies for appealing to all of them and how to leverage their entrepreneurial spirit to propel your business forward. 

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.

Thank you to our sponsors: 

Sponsored by Storewise

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

SPEAKERS

Mary Rollman, Principal, Consulting, US Supply Chain Strategy Practice Leader,  KPMG LLP 

Ken Spigarelli, Managing Director, Supply Chain & Operations Advisory, KPMG LLP 

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

Session Sponsored By: 

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.

SPEAKER

Jason Lovelace, President, SPINS, LLC 

Andrew Henkel, Senior Vice President - Brand Growth Solutions, SPINS, LLC 

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. 

SPEAKER

Dave Wendland, Vice President, Strategic Relations, Hamacher Resource Group, Inc.   

NGA CUSTOMER CONNECTION LOWE'S SUPERMARKETS (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.

SPEAKER

Matt Corbin, Director of Marketing, Lowe's Supermarkets   

EFFECTIVELY INVESTING IN LOYALTY DRIVERS TO PREVENT CUSTOMER ATTRITION 

As an independent grocery retailer, what do you need to ensure your customers will remain loyal to you, spend more and choose you over your national competitors? In this session, you’ll hear trends, data and predictions backed up by a panel of grocery experts who will share their techniques for engaging shoppers to ensure they’ll come back again and again. You’ll learn how to sell more effectively, deliver a better customer experience, improve omnichannel functions at a store level, and enable customers to tell you what is not right so you can deliver exactly what they want.

SPEAKERS

Andy Cohen, President and CEO, The A Team & Million Dollar Mix
Scott Endres, Global Leader – Solutions and Product Management, Sensormatic
Geoff Given, Vice President of Retail Operations, Rogers Market
Tim Waterton, Chief Revenue Officer, HappyOrNot 

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.

SPEAKERS

Emily Coborn-Wright, Vice President of Operations, Coborn's Inc.
Kristin Popp, Executive Vice President, Woodman's Food Markets, Inc. 
Kate Stille, Chief Impact Officer, Nugget Market, Inc. 

NGA CUSTOMER CONNECTION - HARPS FOOD STORES (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. 

SPEAKER 

Kim Eskew, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Harps Food Stores  

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

Sponsored By UNFI

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.

Sponsored by BRdata Software Solutions

7:00 AM - 11:30 AM 

CONFERENCE REGISTRATION OPEN

ENHANCING FOOD ACCESS AND SUSTAINING GROCERY BUSINESS  

The USDA is working to address food access, business development, infrastructure and other opportunities related to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act that impact the retail grocery sector. In particular, independent grocers in rural regions face challenges when trying to maintain a sustainable business in areas with diminishing and lower-income populations. USDA Under Secretary Torres Small will review the latest USDA initiatives and discuss how grocers can best work with the agency to achieve common goals. The granddaughter of farmworkers, Torres Small grew up in the borderlands of New Mexico, an area she represented as a member of the U.S. House, serving on the House Agriculture Committee, before joining the USDA. Torres Small was the first woman and first person of color to represent New Mexico’s second congressional district.

SPEAKER

Xochitl Torres Small, Undersecretary for Rural Development, U.S. Department of Agriculture 

The consumer behavior that drives buying and eating patterns continues to evolve, and the food industry must continue to evolve with it, from product developers to manufacturers to retailers. PepsiCo is on a transformative journey that’s taking it from a snack company to one that embraces total foods. That journey is being guided by data and insights from Pepviz, an internal practice designed to deliver next-level business intelligence and solutions. Having worked in various strategic levels at PepsiCo for more than two decades, Mike Gervasio leads a team of category managers focused on turning shopper/category insights into action at retail. His team is focused across all channels of trade and leverages a “space-planning center” that focuses on assortment and planogram solutions for PepsiCo’s food and beverage categories.

SPEAKER

Mike Gervasio, Vice President - Category Leadership, PepsiCo, Inc.

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.

SPEAKERS

Tom Charley, Vice President, Operations, Charley Family Shop N' Save

Mollie Van Lieu, Vice President of Nutrition and Health, International Fresh Produce Association 

 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?

MODERATOR 

Jonathan Tan, Co-Founder, Ratio Institute

SPEAKERS

Bryan Granger, Senior Vice President, Operations Law and Compliance, C&S Wholesale Grocers, Inc. 

Jim McGreevy, Vice President of Public Policy, Federal Government Relations and Political Engagement, The Coca-Cola Company  

Dustin Hemer, CEM, Energy & Sustainability Manager, Weis Markets Inc. 

NGA CUSTOMER CONNECTION - REDNER'S MARKETS (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. 

SPEAKER

Gary Redner, Chief Operating Officer, Redner's Markets, Inc.   

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 

SPEAKERS

Greg Ferrara, President & Chief Executive Officer, National Grocers Association 
Eric Hoplin, President & Chief Executive Officer, National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors 
Katherine Lugar, President & Chief Executive Officer, American Beverage Association 
Michelle Korsmo, President & Chief Executive Officer, National Restaurant 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.