For over half a century, Gourmet Foods International has maintained an unwavering passion for connecting consumers with the perfect specialty products from all over the world, including: Domestic and Imported Cheeses, Meat and Seafood, Hors D'Oeuvres, Bakery, Pastries, and Desserts, Condiments and Spices, Pastas, Grains, and Beans, Oils and Vinegars, Food Service Supplies, Olives and Vegetables, and Beverages. Brian Scott, President of Gourmet Foods International, takes Marc Raco and Sterling Hawkins (CART) on a journey through the business and its landscape, sourcing great cheese, navigating supply chain in times of COVID-19, and even a cheese and cracker tasting! Recorded on location at NGA 2020 in San Diego.

Grocery Is Your Business

Brian Scott of Gourmet Foods International - Sourcing Specialty Foods from Everywhere

For more than 75 years, Topco has leveraged the collective volume, knowledge and commitment of its member companies to create a competitive advantage in the marketplace through innovative product offerings and services, which are driven by insights and analytics. Topco's membership collectively represents billions in annual retail sales volume with thousands of stores, and Topco was formed to help ensure regional grocery retailers and wholesalers the ability to support their communities by providing families with high quality yet affordable products and services. Annie Charlip, Associate Category Manager - Marketing at Topco Associates LLC, joins Marc Raco and guest host Sterling Hawkins (CART) on location at NGA in San Diego.

Annie Charlip of TopCo Associates - Membership As a Competitive Advantage

"Leader of the Pack (VRRROOOM!)"/CEO & President Lauren G. R. Johnson of the family-owned Rudy's Markets (a Bend, Oregon grocery business which also runs the brands Newport Avenue Market and Oliver Lemon's) joins Marc Raco and guest host Sterling Hawkins (CART) on location at NGA in San Diego. She discusses the importance of change and differentiation, the value and importance of community involvement for the brand, presentation in general and attending to the tiny details. the value of employee-owners, being a visiting destination for tourists.growing sales vs. growing the business, surrounding yourself with your peers and being aware of what's happening in the industry, the annual customer appreciation sale, being a family business, and attention-getting business cards (and why they provide business cards to employees).

Lauren Johnson of Rudy’s Markets - Leading the Pack

The Hawkins family name is synonymous with retail and consumer focused innovation, and father and son co-founders Gary Hawkins and Sterling Hawkin currently run Center for Advancing Retail & Technology (CART), evaluating over a thousand new retail technology companies every year. On location at NGA in San Diego, Gary and Sterling offer insights into the state of the grocery industry, retail in general, and the opportunities for the future with innovation and forward thinking.

Gary Hawkins and Sterling Hawkins of Center for Advancing Retail & Technology (CART) - Realizing Innovation

Puzl creates robot-ready intelligence for retail robots. The hyper-fast AI-platform-as-a-service is setting the performance standard for robot manufacturers and retailers worldwide. Co-Founder/CEO Matt Bartelsian shares how robots and the Puzl platform can be game-changers in the grocery business. Recorded on location at NGA in San Diego, with guest co-host Sterling Hawkins.

Matt Bartelsian of Puzl - Robots in the Grocery Store

Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. (AWG) is the nation's largest cooperative food wholesaler to independently owned supermarkets, serving over 1,100 member companies and over 3,000 locations throughout 28 states from 8 full-line wholesale divisions. The consolidated sales for AWG are approximately $9.7 billion.  On location at NGA in San Diego, VP of Sales and Solutions Stacey Bowen provides a glimpse into the impact AWG Maes, and how, in addition to its cooperative wholesale operations, the company also operates subsidiary companies which provide certain real estate and supermarket development services, print and digital marketing services, and health and beauty care, general merchandise, specialty/international foods and pharmaceutical products.

Stacey Bowen of Associated Wholesale Grocers - Strength In Numbers

Rochester, NY-based Freshop, a company building eCommerce solutions to provide full digital engagement for grocery and specialty retail -- including solutions for mobile, fulfillment and delivery -- is a powerful and customized online shopping experience for supermarket customers. CEO Brian Moyer offers a look inside the company's journey and what's possible, on location at NGA in San Diego.

Brian Moyer of Freshop - Forward-Thinking Grocery E-Commerce

Ron Bonacci, Vice President of Marketing and Advertising for Weis Markets (a large regional grocery chain headquartered in Sunbury, PA with more than 200 stores in 7 states) shares insights on innovation, eduction, and keeping pace with change as a grocery retailer with Marc Raco and Sterling Hawkins on location at NGA in San Diego.

Ron Bonacci of Weis Markets - Keeping Pace with Change as a Grocery Retailer

Jason Schulweis, SVP and Head of Brand Partnerships and Integrated Marketing for Morning Brew,  offers crucial insights about current trends within media and marketing due to the impact of COVID-19, how marketers can authentically connect with consumers, and the importance of brand purpose in the face of this new reality.

Brand Marketing and Media in a World with COVID-19

Aside from the physical health risks stoked by COVID-19, there's another byproduct of the pandemic that's potentially terrifying: the social impact of isolation and quarantines. Given the number of people directed and electing to work from home, social distancing becomes both a personal challenge as well as an important business concern. From London, Julia Hobsbawm (social entrepreneur and author of The Simplicity Principle) shares important insights, strategy, and perspective, along with useful plays, for business leaders facing the realities of social distancing amongst their workforce and customers.

Social Distancing and Business in a World with COVID-19

How do you protect on-demand or gig workers, their fleets, and their customers, during the COVID-19 crisis? How can companies like Postmates, which rely on going workers for their business model, succeed and survive, what particular concerns and considerations are in play, and what happens as restaurants and other suppliers close and face hard times? Vikrum Aiyer, Vice President of Public Policy & Strategic Communications at Postmates and Former Obama White House Senior Advisor, joins from San Francisco with perspective, insights, solutions, and a go-to enter to the playbook.

Gig and On-Demand Businesses and Workers in a World with COVID-19

Retailers need management solutions from ordering to invoice reconciliation for beverage alcohol retailers of all sizes. Distributors need automated payment collection, maximized delivery efficiency, pricing communicated electronically, and a refined sales strategy. Suppliers need detailed insights into their product portfolio’s supply and demand, optimized market execution, and accessible competitive market data. Mark Kimber, Chief Revenue Officer for Fintech (offering cutting-edge, strategic solutions that support ordering efficiency, sales strategy, invoice and payment reconciliation, data reporting, pricing and promotion communication, and regulatory resource connectivity for the beverage industry and retailers), offers insights on how his company is a leader with a mission to solve common issues within the beverage alcohol industry. Recorded on location from NGA in San Diego.

Mark Kimber of Fintech - Building a Better Alcohol Business

If trying to keep the doors to a business open isn’t challenging enough, especially when you don’t know how long you have to do it for, diligent consideration of the productivity, safety, care, morale, and profitability of your employees may be even more daunting. Dr. John Sullivan (internationally known Human Resources thought-leader from the Silicon Valley and Professor at San Francisco State) and Celeste Thompson (Chief People Officer/Founder at TRIBE Human Resources Consulting) join from California and New Jersey to walk through some crucial Human Resources concerns and considerations in the new business realities of COVID-19.

Human Resources Challenges in a World with COVID-19

SPECIAL REPORT: Wendy Liebmann, Founder, CEO, and Chief Shopper of WSL Strategic Retail, shares critical considerations for brands and retailers to manage the new realities of a retail landscape during and after the COVID-19 crisis.

Retail Realities and Strategy in a World with COVID-19

In retail, it’s often the relationship that matters more than anything. In the grocery business, it might be relevant even more than anywhere else. Case and point: Relationshop — who’s story began  more than 30 years and is now leading the industry with technology, solutions and strategies to help retailers personally connect with shoppers. With a passionate, technology-driven, marketing team with deep experience inside retail offering robust analytics, personalized promotions, and a web and mobile engagement platform. Along with other support and professional services. It’s all designed to deliver what matters most -- measurable improvement in transaction counts, sales and loyalty to a brand. Founder and CEO Galen Walters, and Chief Strategy Officer Randy Crimmins offer key insights on location at NGA in San Diego.

Galen Walters and Randy Crimmins of Relationshop - Strategizing Personal Connection to Shoppers

Grocery is Your Business is a weekly conversation among industry experts about the trends and innovations impacting the grocery industry. Leading industry executive hosts talk with innovative and engaging guests about strategy, marketing and technology for food and drink brands, and retail grocery and convenience stores.