Superior Grocers President to Keynote NFRA Executive Conference
At the National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association’s (NFRA) 30th annual Executive Conference, slated to take place April 4-6 at the Tempe Mission Palms Hotel & Conference Center, in Tempe, Ariz., Richard Wardwell, president of Santa Fe Springs, Calif.-based independent grocer Superior Grocers, will deliver the Retailer Keynote on Tuesday, April 5. Speakers at the conference will discuss the latest consumer and industry trends.
The conference will open on Monday, April 4 with the optional Greater Penguin Golf Tournament, followed by an evening welcome reception. Tuesday, April 5 will offer a lineup of interactive speaker presentations, along with a networking reception. On Wednesday, April 6, the conference will wrap up with breakfast and a final informational session.
Following Wardwell’s Retailer Keynote, Jason Smith, of Shopper Intelligence, will share the results of a new study of 130,000 frozen and dairy shoppers, as well as insights on marketing to them. Tom Bailey, of RaboResearch, will cover the significant growth of omnichannel strategies. Curt Avallone, of Takeoff Technologies, will discuss the economics regarding the use of robotics and artificial intelligence in e-grocery. Colleen McClellan, of Datassential, will talk about how consumers’ in- and out-of-home behavior has evolved. Mike Poznansky, of Neato, will help show attendees understand Gen Z and how to earn their long-term loyalty. Zack Nippert, of CivicScience, will present data on what’s next for consumers and brands, including inflation, supply chain issues and macro-trends.
The conference will end with Nippert and Erica Norton, of The Hershey Co., discussing the trends, behaviors and predictions of what the post-pandemic shopper will look like and how brands can prepare.
To maintain the informal atmosphere that fosters group discussion and more personal interaction, the conference will be limited to 150 attendees. Registration is open on the conference website.
Harrisburg, Pa.-based NFRA is a nonprofit trade association representing all segments of the frozen and refrigerated foods industry. The organization is the sponsor of March National Frozen Food Month, June Dairy Month, and June/July Ice Cream & Novelties promotion, as well as educational outreach programs. NFRA holds the annual National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Convention in October.
