Category Management Institute Looks at Foodservice

As the foodservice industry expands and evolves – including in-store deli and prepared foods operations– category management is also shifting.

Chicago-based Technomic, for its part, has launched a new Foodservice Category Management Institute, with the support of the global Category Management Association, to provide tools for operators to succeed in the increasingly category management-driven marketplace.

To help guide its new group, Technomic has formed a steering committee of eight industry-leading companies representing the operator, distributor, broker and manufacturer sectors. R3 Reliable Redistribution Resource, a St. Louis--based supplier of food packaging, disposable supplies and cleaning and safety products, joined the steering committee late last month.

Bob Goldin, executive vice president of Technomic, says the new institute will help organizations navigate the challenges of today’s operating environment. "Companies that understand the true importance of category management and develop the needed capabilities will greatly enhance their market positions," he remarks.

Adds R3 president Earl Engleman: "The foodservice industry is going through some growing pains, and we want to help the foodservice supply chain community navigate these challenges to their advantage."