Overview | Who Should Attend | How it Works

Thank you and see you next year!

Thank you for attending the 2016 Annual Business Conference in Chicago. Your commitment, preparation and participation are what make this event a huge success.

In order to build an even stronger conference next year, we would appreciate your feedback on this year's event, so please keep an eye out for the conference survey.

We look forward to seeing you again next year, September 17- 20 at the JW Marriott in Chicago.

Meet with several business partners in one place—saving you time and money!

The Food Marketing Institute's Annual Business Conference (ABC) provides a tremendous opportunity for CPG suppliers to interact with their retail/wholesale trading partners. Within the ABC program, participants can communicate strategies, goals, and operational concerns in an effort to achieve greater efficiency and profitability.

As the needs of consumers change and competition intensifies, increased dialogue between wholesalers/retailers and suppliers is critical to meeting today's business challenge. The communication and relationships established during ABC between wholesaler/retailer executives and their supplier counterparts produces mutual benefits throughout the year.

Who Should Attend:

C-level and key senior executives for marketing, merchandising and/or supply chain from FMI retailer and wholesaler member companies
Distributor and supplier senior executives with responsibilities for overall corporate goal-setting, business development and strategic alliances.

How it Works

Private meetings are hosted by participating CPG supplier companies and are 45 minutes in length, with 15 minute breaks between meetings.
Retailers and Suppliers make private appointments directly with each other using FMI's user-friendly, online scheduling tool.
Participants are able to control their schedule and the number of trading partner appointments they wish based on needs and availability. FMI encourages all participants to make and take as many appointments as possible but cannot guarantee any confirmed appointments.
Each company will be responsible for securing its own trading partner meeting schedule and setting a discussion agenda.
An executive and scheduler contact list is provided by FMI to facilitate networking.

The conference dress code is business casual.

Thank You to our Chairman's Club Sponsors: