NFRA Executive Conference to Feature Kroger, Raley’s and UNFI Execs
The National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA) has revealed that it will hold its 32nd annual Executive Conference on April 8-10, 2024, at the Westin Tempe in Tempe, Ariz. Retailer presentations will include Stuart Aitken, chief merchant and marketing officer at Kroger; Sandy Douglas, CEO of UNFI; and Keith Knopf, president and CEO of The Raley’s Cos. The three-day event unites frozen and refrigerated food industry professionals at all levels to network and hear about the latest consumer insights on industry growth and trends.
The conference will kick off on Sunday, April 7 with a first-time attendee reception. On Monday, April 8, the optional Greater Penguin Golf Tournament will take place at nearby Papago Golf Club, followed by an evening welcome reception at the hotel.
[Read more: “Steady Purchasing Keeps Frozen Food Ahead of the Game”]
Tuesday, April 9 will feature a lineup of notable speakers, starting with a retailer keynote by Knopf. Other presentations will explore the impact of macroeconomic pressure on the refrigerated and frozen retail industry and review best practices for navigating the changing landscape, and delve into the strategic implementation of AI in CPG and retail, emphasizing its applications in product development, market analysis and personalized shopping experiences.
Additional sessions will include frozen and dairy category insights from Acosta, global consumer learnings from Mintel, and retailer presentations by Douglas and Aitken. There will also be an exploration of the profound shift in consumer attitudes and expectations over the past four years, and what they mean for attendees and their businesses, highlighting key takeaways for companies to adapt and thrive.
On Wednesday, April 10 the conference will conclude with breakfast and an informational session discussing the transformative power of retail media networks as catalysts for business growth and innovation in the digital age.
Attendees can also find out about NFRA’s PR and marketing initiatives and how to get involved by attending the Promotions Committee Meeting, or hear from leaders in the cold-storage space at the Supply Chain Forum.
Registration opens Dec. 1 on the Executive Conference website, and sponsorship and advertising opportunities are available.
Harrisburg, Pa.-based NFRA is a nonprofit trade association representing all segments of the frozen and refrigerated food industry. The organization sponsors national promotions ReDiscover Dairy & Frozen (January), March Frozen Food Month, June Dairy Month and Summer Favorites Ice Cream & Novelties (June/July), as well as providing consumer information such as food safety guidelines, meal preparation tips, recipes and sweepstakes opportunities through its Easy Home Meals consumer website and social media properties.
Serving more than 11 million customers daily through a digital shopping experience and 2,800 retail food stores under a variety of banner names, Cincinnati-based Kroger is No. 4 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2023 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. PG also named the company to its Retailers of the Century list. West Sacramento, Calif.-based The Raley’s Cos. operates more than 230 locations across four states and four Tribal Nations under eight banners: Raley’s, Bel Air, Nob Hill Foods, Raley’s O-N-E Market, Bashas’, Food City, AJ’s Fine Foods and Bashas’ Diné Market. The company is No. 49 on The PG 100. Providence, R.I.-based UNFI delivers a wide variety of products to customer locations throughout North America, including natural product superstores, independent retailers, conventional supermarket chains, e-commerce retailers and foodservice customers. The largest publicly traded grocery distributor in America, the company is No. 20 on The PG 100.
