Grocery Industry Gathering Concludes with Fresh Summit 2025 Event by National Grocers Association
Independent grocers from all across the United States gathered in Milwaukee for the NGA Fresh Summit, an event aimed at discussing strategies to enhance profitability in the competitive grocery industry. The three-day summit, which took place from June 16-18, saw participants engage in insightful sessions, store tours, and networking opportunities.
One of the key focuses of the summit was on common profitability levers, such as actionable benchmarking, expert-led sessions on core issues like shrink and labor optimization, peer-driven learning, and executive and professional tracks tailored to leadership and operations staff. These strategies are essential for ensuring alignment on profitability goals and execution across all categories.
In terms of category-specific strategies, the summit highlighted several tactics for boosting profitability in produce, meat, dairy, deli, bakery, and foodservice. For instance, reducing shrink through better inventory rotation and freshness management was emphasized for produce, while optimizing cut yields and leveraging value-added processing were suggested for meat. Dairy was advised to focus on rotation and expiration management, while deli and bakery were encouraged to expand prepared foods and meal solutions.
Technology adoption, supply chain optimization, labor productivity, and customer experience were also identified as additional focus areas. For instance, the adoption of point-of-sale systems, inventory management software, and analytics tools can improve decision-making and operational efficiency. Collaborating with suppliers for better pricing, freshness, and delivery reliability is crucial, especially for perishable items like produce, meat, and dairy.
The summit also underlined the importance of innovation, technology, and community connection in transforming the fresh departments of independent grocers. Jonathan Downey, COO and SVP of NGA, noted that the event showcased how these elements are driving growth, reducing shrink, and elevating the fresh experience for today's evolving shopper.
Moreover, independent grocers used the platform to lead the industry fight against proposed SNAP cuts and to defend key nutrition programmes. The association also warned the FTC of anticompetitive practices similar to what the industry experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Attendees walked away from the summit with actionable strategies to drive growth, reduce shrink, and enhance the fresh shopping experience for consumers. The NGA Fresh Summit thus provided a valuable opportunity for independent grocers to learn from each other, share best practices, and explore new strategies to thrive in the competitive grocery landscape.
In the pursuit of enhancing profitability in the grocery industry, finance strategies such as actionable benchmarking and optimizing labor were discussed at the NGA Fresh Summit. To boost profitability in specific categories like produce, meat, dairy, deli, bakery, and foodservice, innovative tactics were highlighted, including reduced shrink through improved inventory rotation for produce, and optimizing cut yields for meat. Furthermore, technology adoption in areas such as point-of-sale systems and inventory management software was identified as a means to drive growth and efficiency in business operations.
