NGA's Jim Dudlicek moderated a session on multicultural marketing at The NGA Show.
There was a lot going on at the recent NGA Show, which took place Feb. 26-28 at Caesars Forum, in Las Vegas. Aside from the bustling show floor, attendees – primarily representatives of the retail and wholesale sectors of the independent grocery business, along with suppliers – could benefit from an array of impactful sessions, all of them focusing on the issues of most importance to indies.
Following an opening day kickoff that featured a riveting keynote address from blind athlete Erik Weihenmeyer, in which he discussed dealing with adversity without ever sugarcoating the struggle it takes to succeed, the show’s educational sessions included the following:
- Multicultural Marketing, moderated by Jim Dudlicek, director of communications and external affairs at the Washington, D.C.-based National Grocers Association (NGA), in which the participants discussed their respective approaches to bringing diverse consumers into their stores. Methods include hiring bilingual staffers, providing circulars and social media posts in the native languages of these shoppers, and stocking culturally relevant products. As Rich Wardwell, CEO and president of Los Angeles-based Superior Grocers, noted, retailers must “delve into finding new paths” to reach out to these customers, who are steadily growing in number.
- What Gen Zs Want, sponsored by Kellogg Co. and moderated by Kristin Popp, SVP of Janesville, Wis.-based Woodman’s Food Markets Inc., featuring five female college students who aspire to food industry careers. The students asserted that their priorities for a company where they seek employment are such factors as diversity, transparency, growth opportunities, the ability to think disruptively, and work/life balance, while as consumers, they value an appealing atmosphere, bargains on products, online influencer content and convenience. As both professionals and shoppers, the students placed a high premium on in-person experiences – a stance at odds with the common perception of younger people being more interested in digital encounters.