Conference to Help Grocers Brace for Rising Prices

INTL FCStone Inc. is hosting the 2012 Grocery Conference, sponsored by CME Group, to help grocery retailers, wholesalers and others in the food industry foresee global supply and demand issues, prepare for and protect against the risks of price fluctuations, and improve their margins.

The conference is scheduled for Oct. 24 to 26 at CME Group headquarters, 20 S. Wacker Drive, Chicago.

Grocery wholesalers, retailers and distributors face unprecedented margin pressures as a result of rising and volatile commodity prices for grains, meats and processed foods, packaging and construction materials, energy costs, fuel surcharges and more. This conference aims to provide long-term forecasts for commodity prices, interest rates and the U.S. economy, and introduce a wide array of new tools for managing risk and enhancing margins.

Speakers will address global economics, energy procurement trends and food price inflation, and will provide their outlooks for meat and dairy products, grains and energy, produce and vegetable oils, and metals and food-packaging materials.

Those interested in attending the event can register online or contact Erin Olson.

INTL FCStone Inc. provides execution and advisory services in commodities, currencies and international securities.

Derivatives marketplace CME Group offers global benchmark products across all major asset classes and brings buyers and sellers together through its CME Globex electronic trading platform and trading.  CME Group maintains facilities in New York and Chicago.