Washington, D.C.– The National Grocers Association (NGA) is pleased to announce the inaugural Circle the Wagons (CTW) Innovation Lounge, a new feature of this year’s Executive Conference & Public Policy Summit, set to take place in Washington, D.C. October 20-22.

The CTW Innovation Lounge will be open to all attendees on Monday and Tuesday, providing a dedicated space for networking and the discovery of innovative products.

“We are thrilled to partner with NGA and bring the CTW Innovation Lounge to life,” said Barton Howard, CTW founder and Chief Executive Officer. “It’s our opportunity to engage directly with independent grocers, showcase breakthrough solutions, and collaboratively imagine what the future of retail can be. We believe sharing these innovations in an open, informal lounge setting will spark fresh ideas and meaningful connections at this year’s Executive Conference.”

On Tuesday evening, the Lounge will host the Conference reception. This dynamic, flexible environment invites attendees to stop in as often as they like to connect, explore new solutions, and be inspired by emerging ideas to enhance their stores and engage shoppers.

Inside the Lounge, guests will have the opportunity to:

  • Learn about new products and services
  • Sample unique cocktails
  • Collect exclusive take-aways
  • Engage with leading CTW Partners, including
    • New Riff Distilling
    • Storemasters
    • Vori
    • Henschel-Steinau Inc. retail merchandising solutions
    • GATR Coolers
    • Houchens Insurance Group
    • Express Wages
    • MobileJuice
    • WPG Payment Solutions

The Executive Conference & Public Policy Summit is NGA’s signature gathering for industry leaders, designed to facilitate strategic dialogues, showcase innovations, and strengthen collaboration across the grocery and supply chain ecosystem.

“The CTW Innovation Lounge is an ideal complement to our broader Executive Conference agenda,” said Jonathan Downey, NGA COO & SVP. “It offers a more informal, interactive space for attendees to discover fresh ideas, build relationships, and bring home actionable insights.”

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About NGA 

NGA is the national trade association representing the retail and wholesale community grocers that comprise the independent sector of the food distribution industry. An independent retailer is a privately owned or controlled food retail company operating a variety of formats. The independent grocery sector is accountable for about 1.2 percent of the nation’s overall economy and is responsible for generating more than $250 billion in sales, 1.1 million jobs, $39 billion in wages and $36 billion in taxes. NGA members include retail and wholesale grocers located in every congressional district across the country, as well as state grocers’ associations, manufacturers and service suppliers. For more information about NGA, visit www.nationalgrocers.org.  

About Circle the Wagons

We founded Circle the Wagons Group Purchasing Organization (CTW) in 2018, understanding that grocery retailers are under more pressure than ever.  We wanted to protect the profitability and viability of independent retailers by delivering lower costs and expenses for Not For Resale services and commodities. We don’t believe in expensive membership fees where you have to consider the benefit of our vendors versus your ROI. Instead, we get you the best deals through the combined purchasing power of the members of CTW. Our expert team has decades of experience in the grocery industry, specifically with cost reduction, purchase evaluation, and loss prevention areas. CTW is here for you. For more information, visit https://www.ctwgpo.com/