Cheer on your state's best bagger! Baggers from across the country will vie for the championship title and a $10,000 grand prize. Sponsored by PepsiCo Supported by Imperial Dade
Catch a glimpse of future talent-- University students will judge products and services showcased on the expo floor. They will present an award to the most deserving exhibitor on stage with a quick p
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Independent grocers win on freshness, community, and service, but inconsistency in store-level execution often undermines that promise. In this session, we’ll show how leading independents are turning
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From the return of 100% bonus depreciation to a dramatically improved R&D Tax Credit, the Big, Beautiful Bill has reopened powerful — and often misunderstood — opportunities for commmercial property o
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Pre-registration required, open to retailers and wholesalers. Join us for moderated table discussions on a variety of topics impacting the grocery industry. Attendees will choose from: Artifical inte
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The weekly circular used to do the heavy lifting and has been a long-standing retail staple but today’s shopper journeys are anything but linear. In an increasingly fragmented media landscape, retaile
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Independent grocers are operating in an environment that never slows down — rising costs, tighter margins, and shoppers who expect speed, accuracy, and value every time they walk in. While the challen
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This in-depth educational workshop is designed specifically for owners and leaders of closely held and family businesses seeking to navigate the complexities of taxation, estate planning, and strategi
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After years of persistent inflation and rising grocery costs, consumers are more intentional about where they shop and whom they trust. This environment creates a unique opportunity for independent gr
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With shoppers tightening their budgets and hopping between channels, grocers are under more pressure than ever to drive loyalty and grow basket size. That’s where Specialty Food comes in. In this sess
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As shopper behavior evolves, retailers’ marketing must adapt to keep pace. Today’s grocer is faced with navigating various shopper preferences as they seek to maintain high levels of customer engageme
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Don't miss the exciting final round of the Student Case Study Competition to find out which school has the most compeling solution to help independent retailers! Program Sponsored by UNFI Suppored by
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Elevate Your Financial Insight and Improve Your Outcomes Independent grocers are operating in an increasingly demanding environment. Rising costs, labor uncertainty, changing consumer behavior, and gr
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Understanding where the industry is headed begins with a clear view of where it has been. In this forward-looking session, Robert Graybill will examine key financial, operational, and macroeconomic tr
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Speed networking sessions in the Connections Hub. Retailers and sponsors rotate through five-minute introductions, followed by a social hour for continued conversations. Sponsored by Empower Fresh.
Speed networking sessions in the Connections Hub. Retailers and sponsors rotate through five-minute introductions, followed by a social hour for continued conversations. Sponsored by Empower Fresh.
Store teams make countless decisions every day, often under pressure and with limited time to understand what is really driving performance. Wholesalers and distribution leaders see patterns across ma
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Ecom, plan-o-grams, marketing, shelf tags, o-my! The list of where you need high quality product images and information continues to grow. Join SPINS IX-ONE as they outline how independent grocers lev
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Managing a new business system rollout while implementing FSMA 204 is no small feat. This candid case study shares challenges faced and solutions applied by both leadership and IT. Attendees will hear
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The grocery industry is facing unprecedented workforce challenges—from labor shortages and rising costs to changing expectations shaped by gig work, technology, and AI. In this dynamic panel, presente
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With many grocery retail options available today, consumers demand convenience, relevance and seamless shopping experiences across in-store and digital shopping platforms. AI-Native Unified Commerce t
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As competition intensifies and consumer behavior shifts faster than ever, retailers need real-time, shareable shelf intelligence data to sharpen their pricing, promotion, and assortment strategies. Le
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In today’s competitive grocery landscape, the look and feel of your store are powerful drivers of shopper behavior—and ultimately, your bottom line. This session brings together experts from Imoon and
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The future of grocery may actually lie in the past. Pullman Market, led by Kevin Fink of Emmer & Rye Hospitality Group, is redefining what innovation looks like by returning to the roots of craft, qua
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For years, whether through web, social, email, or other channels, digital marketing efforts have focused on reaching shoppers before they make the trip to the store. Meanwhile, once the shopper walked
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As grocery continues to navigate a rapidly evolving workforce landscape, intentional succession planning has never been more critical. This session brings together a panel of human resource leaders fr
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Greg Ferrara, President and CEO of NGA, and Richie Morgan, Executive Chairman of North State Grocery, Inc. and Chairman of the NGA Board, reflect on a year of progress marked by advocacy wins, enhance
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Today’s grocery are taking a new approach when analyzing what’s printed on a product’s label—and those words can make or break a purchase decision. This session will explore the product claims and cer
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Build the Leaders and Teams That Your Future Requires Through a powerful keynote, fireside conversation, and retailer-led panel, attendees will gain clarity on their leadership identity, understand em
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Grocery e-commerce has hit record highs, with e-grocery penetration representing more than 60% of U.S. households. As more shoppers turn to digital platforms for their weekly shop, independent grocers
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Independent grocers have always had one major advantage over national chains: they know their customers best. That local insight allows independents to adapt faster, innovate smarter, and deliver mean
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Discover how direct-to-consumer food trends—driven by viral social media moments, influencer partnerships, and emerging digital-first brands—are reshaping what shoppers expect on grocery shelves. Univ
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Discover how direct-to-consumer food trends—driven by viral social media moments, influencer partnerships, and emerging digital-first brands—are reshaping what shoppers expect on grocery shelves. Univ
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Discover how direct-to-consumer food trends—driven by viral social media moments, influencer partnerships, and emerging digital-first brands—are reshaping what shoppers expect on grocery shelves. Univ
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The top 6 schools move on to compete in Round 2. Presentations start every 25 min starting at 3:00 pm. Judging panels are pre-selected but all conference attendees are welcomed to attend! Discover how
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The top 6 schools move on to compete in Round 2. Presentations start every 25 min starting at 3:00 pm. Judging panels are pre-selected but all conference attendees are welcomed to attend! Discover how
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As the grocery landscape accelerates into a new era, independent retailers face both unprecedented challenges and powerful opportunities. This forward-looking session explores how shopper expectations
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What if eight feet of floor space could generate up to $80K annually? The Miele Group will unpack how its skill games and nationwide ATM programs transform underutilized floor space into a dependable
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Consumers judge a grocery store by its fresh departments—and retailers who excel here win. This breakout dives into how fresh leaders can craft a clear and compelling point of difference- by leveragin
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Independent grocers are fighting for shopper attention in an increasingly digital, inspiration-driven world. Today, more than 70% of consumers begin their meal planning online—not in the circular, not
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The grocery industry isn’t disappearing—it’s expanding into new possibilities. The winners in this new frontier will be those who stop thinking in terms of shelves and start designing ecosystems that
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This session will explore how practical, accessible AI-driven technology can deliver customer segmentation and personalization strategies that are helping retailers today deliver more relevant assortm
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This session will walk you through exactly how grocers like you are slashing healthcare costs without gutting coverage. We’ll unpack real-world case studies, hard numbers, and practical tactics that a
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Artificial Intelligence (AI) is one of the most talked about and transformative forces in business today, yet for many in the supermarket industry, its true impact remains unclear. How will AI shape t
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Pricing has never been more important, or more complex, for grocery retailers. Shoppers compare prices across banners, channels, and delivery platforms, while you juggle competitive pressure, margin t
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Several states have received approval from the USDA to test new restrictions on SNAP-eligible foods, with the first pilots launching January 1, 2026. While each waiver is different, all retailers will
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In 2026, retailers are operating under constant cost pressure, lean staffing, and shoppers who notice every pricing mistake. In this panel, IGA store owners and operators share how they’re tightening
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Retail crime continues to rise, putting pressure on independent grocers to protect their people and assets without overwhelming staff. This session explores how AI-powered face matching is helping gro
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Inflation, tariffs and ongoing supply chain pressures are among the challenges facing retailers, manufacturers and consumers alike. Grocers are seeing margins squeezed even tighter as they partner wit
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In times of increased competition and economic pressures, storytelling is possibly the most powerful tool independent grocers can capitalize on to differentiate themselves from their big box retail co
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Join a panel of forward-thinking independent retailers as they share how artificial intelligence and automation are transforming the way they run their businesses. From improving inventory accuracy to
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"How Smart Strategy and Tactical Precision Can Beat Size and Scale" This 2-hour forum will feature innovative speakers leading the way for tech disruptions in the retail industry. As big retailers in
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Consumer demand for wellness-driven, transparent food is accelerating—just as healthcare programs are redefining how people access and pay for healthy products. This session brings together a data ana
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Independent grocers face unprecedented challenges- and opportunities- in today’s rapidly evolving marketplace. How can local operators stay competitive against mega-chains and meet the demands of heal
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From ransomware to phishing and supply chain breaches, cyberattacks are no longer a distant risk—they’re an everyday reality for retailers, wholesalers, and suppliers across the grocery industry. As d
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How mental bias slows down innovation more than costs or suppliers Private label growth is often limited not by suppliers or costs, but by mental bias inside retail organizations.This presentation hig
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How mental bias slows down innovation more than costs or suppliers Private label growth is often limited not by suppliers or costs, but by mental bias inside retail organizations.This presentation hig
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As print continues to decline and shoppers increasingly plan trips digitally, the role of the weekly circular is evolving. Today’s digital circular can serve as a measurable, performance-driven channe
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Invitation-only presentation of the 4th Annual Exceptional Independents Awards, honoring the independent U.S. grocery operators whose innovation, dedication, and community leadership set them apart.
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Effective managers drive retention- through visibility, personal connection, team-building, feedback and showing employees a clear path forward. Join this panel discussion to uncover how independent g
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Despite representing millions of high-value shoppers and more than $250BN in annual spend, the independent grocery segment has captured only a small fraction of national retail media spending, and far
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Explore what’s possible in today’s retail landscape through a candid presentation by Circle the Wagons (CTW) Founder on innovation and new growth. This session will challenge conventional thinking and
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This 30-minute conversation will explore how a cutting-edge technology, quantum computing, may fundamentally transform the grocery industry. Inspired by insights from industry leaders and recent gradu
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What’s actually holding your business back from using AI? In this session we’ll cut through the hype and look at real, practical steps you can take right away to make your data useful. We’ll cover the
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Think you know where your customers shop and why they choose you over competitors? This exclusive 2025 USA Today consumer survey reveals the real story. Discover what actually drives store and product
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