Sunday, February 19
You Can Inspire Anyone to Be a Winner
A gutsy veteran, Doug Flutie encourages peak performance in defiance of all odds. For over 22 years,
Doug Flutie’s name has been synonymous with excellence in college and professional football.
Named College Football Player of the Year in 1984, Doug set NCAA career records for passing yards
and total offense. He will always be remembered for throwing the Hail Mary Touchdown Pass in the last
seconds of Boston College’s 47-45 upset over Miami, the same season he was named the Heisman
Trophy winner. Encouraging success in defiance of all odds Doug Flutie speaks about the importance
of character and teamwork and principles of leadership.
Doug Flutie, Retired Football Quarterback
Winning in the New Consumer Economy
Consumers continue to weather an unprecedented economic climate - the worst in
generations. As a result, much of the consumer landscape has fundamentally changed.
While some of these changes are a direct result of economic conditions, most have
been in place for some time. This new landscape requires different thinking, and insights
into today’s shopper expectations and the forces driving change are critical. While existing
economic pressures linger, new pressures are emerging. Combining macro perspective
with local expertise, Nielsen delivers an integrated view of behavior along with their
expectations of the most significant future opportunities. This convergence of forces
creates a well-timed opportunity to better understand, connect and communicate a
clear value proposition to key business partners and the consumers we all serve.
Jeffrey Gregori, Vice President, Solutions Consulting, The Nielsen Company
Monday, February 20
The Economy and Its Impact on Your Business
The world has changed and shoppers have changed with it. Find out how you may
need to adapt your business because of consumer spending trends, unemployment
rates and industrial capacity. Explore the impact of economic trends on the livestock,
poultry and meat retail industries. In today’s world, understanding economic trends
and how they may affect your business is essential to your operation.
Decision Tree: Understanding Consumer Choices
The meat department leads sales of all fresh departments and is integral to the success
of any supermarket. Yet the complexity of the fresh meat case makes it challenging
to understand the consumer’s purchase decision process and its implications for
retail strategies. The Perishables Group will share the results of a comprehensive fresh
meat consumer decision tree study. The research uncovers what’s driving the consumer
at the meat case, what variables influence the purchase decision and if, how and
why consumers switch between proteins. This session will provide insights on how to
use this understanding to shape retail strategies that will attract and satisfy consumers
– and ultimately grow meat case sales.
Sherry Frey, Vice President, The Perishables Group
Meat Madness: Messages Shaping Consumer Opinions about Meat
In today’s sound-bite driven world, the public is constantly bombarded with conflicting messages about
nutrition, food safety, technology and animal care. And some campaigns even discourage consumers
from eating meat altogether. Learn how you can help consumers navigate the blogosphere’s food
myths about the meat counter. Valuable resources will be provided to help you communicate important
truths about the modern food system.
David Fikes, Senior Director, Consumer/Community Affairs and Social Responsibility, FMI
Kay Johnson Smith, President and CEO, Animal Agriculture Alliance
Global Meat Department Trends and Innovations
Our speaker will share innovative marketing strategies at the retail level from all around the globe
to demonstrate why exports of beef and pork are the highest they have ever been. You will learn
how the U.S. Meat Export Federation’s goal of “putting U.S. meat on the world’s tables” is being
creatively met at the retail sector. Come see what new ideas can be learned from international
retail promotions for red meat that might be just the creative opportunity for your operation.
Liz Wunderlich, Caribbean Manager, U.S. Meat Export Federation
Marketing and Merchandising: Case Studies
Studies show that shoppers prepare an average of four home-cooked meals containing
meat or poultry per week. Understanding the consumer’s purchase decision process
in the fresh meat case is challenging. How do you harness that knowledge to increase
sales? This session will explore the implications for retail strategies through several
case studies illustrating how to use the consumer decision tree for fresh meat to grow
meat case sales.
Trevor Amen, Manager, Channel Marketing, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association
Jarrod Sutton, Assistant Vice President of Channel Marketing, National Pork Board
Sherry Frey, Vice President, The Perishables Group
BRANDvocacy:
The Holy Grail of Social Media and Digital Marketing
Your customers are more tech-savvy than ever and are being inundated with offers
through social media and digital marketing messages . Use that technology to your advantage
to create meaningful consumer experiences that attract, build, and maintain brand
loyalty. It’s no longer just a matter of making consumers aware of your products and
services; consumers must become ambassadors of your brand—BRANDvocacy.
At this session, you’ll get the latest trends, hear about case studies on social media,
and learn ways to work with your corporate marketing team to enhance your meat
marketing efforts.
Helen Levinson, Principal, Desert Rose Design
Is Case-Ready in Your Future?
With many shoppers aware that in some stores meat is cut and packaged before it enters
the store, case-ready meat is both well-accepted and well-used. Additionally, case-ready
products now occupy fully two-thirds of packages in the meat case. This session will delve
deeper into case ready discussing the financial, regulatory, food safety, labor and shelf life
implications. Gain practical insights to help you understand the criteria to judge if case ready
is right for you.
Keith Belk, Ph.D., Professor, Colorado State University
Pete Eckes, President, Global Perishables Strategies
The Balance of Power
Noted political analyst and Pulitzer Prize finalist, Ron Brownstein discusses where the last
election left the balance of political power between the two parties and what this means for l
egislation during the next two years. With the rise of the Tea Party and the Democrats losing
control of the House in the 2010 mid-term elections, Brownstein analyzes what we can
expect in the 2012 congressional and presidential elections in terms of potential power
shifts, policy agendas and your business.
Ronald Brownstein, Political Director, Atlantic Media Company; Editorial Director and Columnist,
National Journal; Senior Political and Election Analyst for CNN and ABC
Tuesday, February 21
Store Innovation Strategies
For the past several years, retailers have created value by cutting costs. The new
operating model will be to create value by changing the shopping experience via colors,
fixturing, layout and technology. During this presentation you will discover what
is most important to today’s shoppers’ in-store experience. In addition, you will hear
several “best practices” case studies in advanced layout, merchandising and marketing.
Thom Blischok, Global President, Innovation & Strategy, SymphonyIRI Group
Health and Wellness and Effective Meat Marketing
Promotions are key for increasing incremental sales in the supermarket. This important
merchandising method can be applied to the entire meat department. With today’s
health-minded consumer, it is important to stay up-to-date with the ever-changing
nutrition environment to meet customers’ expectations. In this workshop, successful
meat department promotions and strategies for executing those promotions will be
highlighted, as well as tips for successfully communicating nutrition messages about
meat’s contribution to a healthy lifestyle.
Kara Behlke, RD, LD, Dietitian, Hy-Vee, Inc.
Regulatory Update
Get the latest information on FDA and USDA regulations impacting the sale of
meat products, including new nutrition labeling requirements, country of origin
labeling, food safety rules and more. Learn the status of other pending regulatory
activities and get an update on federal legislation affecting meat.
Erik Lieberman, Regulatory Counsel, Food Marketing Institute
The Power of Meat: An In-Depth Look at Meat Through the Shoppers’ Eyes
Are current economic woes affecting how and where consumers shop for meat? Now
in its seventh year, the Power of Meat research provides some answers. The research
highlights consumers’ likes and dislikes at the meat case and tracks consumer preferences
for meat packaging and preparation. Insights from this new research will help you
increase your understanding of what drives purchasing decisions in a recessionary environment
and develop the best marketing strategies for your meat and poultry offerings.
Michael Uetz, Principal, Midan Marketing
Strategic Futures
Thinking about the future? You’ll need to consider the practical aspects (the bottom
line) and all possible outcomes (changes on the horizon) in the months and years to
come. Join us for a down-to-earth look at key strategic trends that can impact you
personally and professionally. The implications of emerging technology, automation,
and unlimited access to information are game-changers you’ll need to consider
to enable your business to not only survive, but thrive in the future. While change
often translates to improvements, don’t dismiss the notion of tradition. Futurist,
David Zach will help you consider aspects of your work, your world, and your life that
should or shouldn’t be changed. Get ready for a fast-paced, fascinating tour of tomorrow
with an internationally renowned futurist as your guide.
David Zach, Futurist