Earlier this year, NGA announced that it would be aligning its Fall Leadership Meetings, with the NACS Show held in Chicago, IL, on Oct. 17-20. This exciting strategic partnership will bring together the leading small format and independent retailers to explore emerging trends in foodservice, consumer packaged goods, retailer motor fuels, consumer-facing technologies, and operating best practices.
NGA will be kicking off its Fall Leadership Meetings with the Trading Partner Business Sessions program from October 16 – 17 at the Hilton Palmer House. The Trading Partner Business Sessions program connects independent retailers and wholesalers with manufacturers and service suppliers (“trading partners”) through pre-arranged senior level meetings designed to discuss mutual business opportunities, strategies, and goals. Retail and wholesale attendees will have full access to NACS Show education workshops and expo floor. NGA and NACS will hold joint education sessions led by industry experts that take a deeper dive into areas such as utilizing technology to drive consumers to your food service business and how emerging data security technologies will impact your business.
The NACS Show, praised as the premier event of the year for the convenience and fuel retailing industry, is one of the 40 largest trade shows in the United States. It attracts more than 23,000 attendees from 60-plus countries annually and features four days of general sessions, with 50 education sessions. The 400,000 sq. ft. expo with more than 1,200 exhibiting companies is segmented into six categories: Fuel Equipment & Services, Food Equipment & Foodservice Programs, Candy/Snacks, Facility Development & Store Operations, Merchandise, and Technology.
With independent supermarket and convenience store operators vying to serve their consumers in a very competitive marketplace that is always changing – new technologies, services, and consumer goods and products are constantly being introduced – staying ahead of consumer demand is crucial to being a successful operator. This collaborative partnership furthers our efforts to provide independents with a convenient and valuable opportunity to see innovative products and solutions and further expand their networks. Think of it as a one-stop-shop for independent grocers to gain new ideas, new connections, and new products and services.
To learn more about the NGA Fall Leadership Meetings, click HERE.
