Sep 28, 2016

Food Marketing Institute cancels FMI Connect

Food Marketing Institute (FMI) will retire the 2017 FMI Show, known as FMI Connect, originally scheduled to be held in Chicago next June.

Leslie G. Sarasin, FMI President and CEO, said in a statement, “At FMI we continue to believe that events designed to bring together the entire food retail industry and their partners for meaningful conversation, education, exploration and networking are desired and needed, but we have concluded these gatherings should occur in a framework that differs from the current FMI Connect design. We also recognize that in recent years this event has fallen short of achieving the precise formula necessary for meeting today’s industry needs, particularly as the industry continues to change and evolve so quickly.

“Therefore, we must design new occasions more appropriate to the faster paced rhythms of food retail, and in unique formats more attuned to the specific needs of our industry. With the elimination of having to fill football fields’ worth of space as ‘The Show’ configuration required, FMI will be liberated to explore new, focused and more flexible events.”

United Fresh Produce Assocation CEO and President Tom Stenzel issued a statement on FMI’s decision to cancel the FMI show, co-located with the United Fresh Show.

“As a long standing industry partner of the Food Marketing Institute, we look forward to continuing our work together in education, public policy and many other areas of mutual interest to our members,” said Stenzel. “We want all of our friends from past FMI Connect events to know they are welcome to join us once again in Chicago June 13-15, 2017 for our comprehensive dive into the frehs foods, produce and floral supply chains.”