FMI Establishes Virtual Event and Trading Partner Platform: Midsummer 2020

ARLINGTON, VA – COVID-19 has significantly disrupted and is changing the way the food industry and trading partners conduct business, which is why today FMI – The Food Industry Association announces a new, virtual trading partner program like its highly successful Strategic Executive Exchanges. Known as FMI Midsummer Strategic Executive Exchange, the program aims to accelerate business recovery and streamline supply chain collaboration.

FMI President and CEO Leslie Sarasin commented on the inception of this event, saying, “COVID-19 has provided FMI members a vivid reminder of the need for enhanced communications and planning; and has proven that agility and speed are the new normal as companies seek to stabilize their business operations and better prepare for a future filled with unknowns.”

She continued, “To help facilitate addressing these industry needs, I am pleased to announce a unique, virtual, strategic opportunity for trading partner collaboration to identify, prioritize and address the industry’s most pressing business issues.”

The Midsummer program is open to FMI members from retail, wholesale, consumer products companies and suppliers who sell food, beverage and non-food products.

FMI Midsummer 2020 will kick-off with a compelling keynote Tuesday, July 7, and will run over the course of eight business days to allow for flexibility with 48 possible meeting timeslots using a collaborative technology platform. The menu of meeting windows offers retailers and suppliers the ability to pick the dates, times, and quantity of meetings that best meet their availability and needs over the course of the event.

Mark Baum, senior vice president, industry relations and chief collaboration officer, FMI, noted, “The possibility of focused private online meetings with multiple company teams over the course of a few days is an excellent opportunity for trading partners to regroup, discuss business challenges, opportunities and anticipate post-pandemic shifting consumer shopping behaviors.”

This Midsummer program offers business continuity and complements the upcoming FMI Annual Business Conference (ABC) scheduled for September 13-16, 2020 and the marquee FMI event, FMI Midwinter Executive Conference.