Category: Press Releases

Jeff Rumachik

NFRA Sets Transition Plan as Rumachik Announces Retirement, Greyshock to Serve as President and CEO

Posted on | by Julie Henderson | Leave a Comment on NFRA Sets Transition Plan as Rumachik Announces Retirement, Greyshock to Serve as President and CEO

July 8, 2022, HARRISBURG, Pa. – The National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA) announced the retirement of president and CEO Jeff Rumachik effective December 31, 2023. Tricia Greyshock has been promoted to the position of executive vice president and chief operating officer and will take over as president and CEO in January 2024.

“It’s with great anticipation that I announce my upcoming retirement and work toward a smooth leadership transition for NFRA,” said Jeff Rumachik, president and CEO. “Tricia’s experience in the association environment and developing industry relationships will be a real asset to our organization as she takes on this new role.”

Rumachik has served in his current role since 2021. He started at NFRA as senior vice president in 2009, becoming executive vice president and COO in 2011. Under his leadership, NFRA has substantially increased its consumer outreach efforts and expanded membership.

Rumachik’s background includes over 47 years of experience in the food industry. Prior to joining NFRA, he was vice president, wholesaler and member services for the Food Industry Association (FMI) in Chicago. At FMI, he was responsible for providing the overall strategic direction for the wholesaler member segment and managing the staff and resources of the member services function. Rumachik’s career path has taken him through all levels of retail food store management. He also worked in supervisory and advisory roles with wholesalers, independently owned supermarkets and chain stores of various formats.

Greyshock served as NFRA’s vice president of meetings and industry relations since 2019. Her new responsibilities as executive vice president and COO include managing the association’s membership, meetings and marketing functions, contributing to operational policies and objectives to ensure the long-term success of the organization and acting as liaison with the association’s board and committees.

Prior to joining NFRA in 2019, Greyshock held roles including events and special projects director for LNP Media Group and vice president of association services for Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association. Her responsibilities included the planning and execution of various events and overseeing membership services and communications efforts. Greyshock graduated summa cum laude from Lycoming College with a bachelor’s degree in international business and Spanish and a minor in economics.

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NFRA is a non-profit trade association representing all segments of the frozen and refrigerated foods industry. Headquartered in Harrisburg, Pa., NFRA is the sponsor of March National Frozen Food Month, June Dairy Month, June/July Ice Cream & Novelties promotion, as well as a children’s educational outreach program. NFRA holds the annual National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Convention in October. 

Traditional Staples and So Much More: It’s June Dairy Month

Posted on | by Natalie Test | Leave a Comment on Traditional Staples and So Much More: It’s June Dairy Month

Essentials and Innovations Keep Shoppers Coming Back

Harrisburg, Pa., June 23, 2022 – June Dairy Month is back and ready to help shoppers get more out of their budgets and discover something new that may become an old favorite. In today’s economy, shoppers are becoming more and more budget-conscious by the day. They’re looking to stretch their dollar even more – which is why they’re keeping the dairy aisle on their list.

According to the National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA), the average family makes a purchase from the dairy aisle almost weekly – 47 times a year to be exact. That’s because the dairy aisle offers the value and variety shoppers want, and why 90% of families shop there.

See the complete multimedia news release on Multivu.com

clear awards plates sitting on black table

NFRA Announces 2022 March Golden Penguin Winners

Posted on | by Julie Henderson | Leave a Comment on NFRA Announces 2022 March Golden Penguin Winners

HARRISBURG, Pa. – The National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA) has announced the winners of the Golden Penguin Awards for its 2022 March Frozen Food Month promotion. NFRA honored the outstanding efforts in promoting March Frozen Food Month. In recognition of those efforts, NFRA has awarded 22 Gold Awards and 36 Silver Awards. See the complete list of winners.

The Golden Penguin Awards provide an opportunity for companies from any segment of the industry to be nationally recognized for excellence in merchandising and marketing frozen and refrigerated foods. The Gold winners will be honored during the NFRA Convention, October 15-18, 2022, in Orlando, Fla. In addition, the highest scoring entry in each of the Overall Marketing Campaign subcategories will be revealed as Top Marketers during the Awards Luncheon at the Convention.

NFRA’s Golden Penguin Awards program features ten categories that reflect today’s marketing practices, including: In-Store Display, In-Store Event, Community Involvement, Social Media Campaign, Private Brand Campaign and Overall Marketing Campaign with subcategories for – Retailer, Wholesaler, Manufacturer, Sales Agent and Local Association. Plus, the Top Marketer Awards honor the best of the best – only the highest scoring entry in each of the Overall Marketing Campaign subcategories will be named as Top Marketer.

Retailers, wholesalers, manufacturers, sales agents and associations of any size could enter any category applicable to their business. Entries were judged on their own merit taking into consideration organization size and/or program budget. Companies can participate in the Golden Penguin competition for NFRA’s other promotions for June Dairy Month and June/July Summer Favorites Ice Cream & Novelties.

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NFRA is a non-profit trade association representing all segments of the frozen and refrigerated foods industry. Headquartered in Harrisburg, Pa., NFRA is the sponsor of March National Frozen Food Month, June Dairy Month, June/July Ice Cream & Novelties promotion, and October Cool Food for Kids educational outreach program. NFRA holds the annual National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Convention in October. 

Celebrating Innovation, Variety and Convenience – It’s Frozen Food Month!

Posted on | by Natalie Test | Leave a Comment on Celebrating Innovation, Variety and Convenience – It’s Frozen Food Month!

Check out what’s hot in the coolest section of the store

HARRISBURG, Penn., March 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — What’s hot and delicious in the frozen food aisle? Innovative new products, bold flavors and unique meal ideas are taking center stage this Frozen Food Month.

Frozen foods are hotter than ever. In fact, sales were up 21% in 2021 and remain strong. According to the National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA), increased sales are attributed to manufacturers innovating to align their products with today’s consumer dining habits and health trends.

Snapshot of the Multimedia New Release

View the Press Release here and the complete Multimedia News Release here

Richard Wardwell

Wardwell, President of Superior Grocers, to Keynote NFRA Executive Conference

Posted on | by Julie Henderson | Leave a Comment on Wardwell, President of Superior Grocers, to Keynote NFRA Executive Conference

HARRISBURG, Pa. – The National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA) will hold its 30th annual Executive Conference April 4-6, 2022, at the Tempe Mission Palms Hotel & Conference Center in Tempe, Ariz. Rich Wardwell, President of Superior Grocers, will be the Retailer Keynote. Conference speakers will provide the latest information on consumer and industry trends.

The conference will open on Monday, April 4 with the optional Greater Penguin Golf Tournament followed by an evening welcome reception. Tuesday, April 5 will offer an impressive line-up of interactive speaker presentations, as well as a networking reception. On Wednesday, April 6, the conference will conclude with breakfast and a final informational session.     

Tuesday morning will begin with the Retailer Keynote followed by Jason Smith, Shopper Intelligence, who will share results of a new study of 130,000 frozen and dairy shoppers and insights on marketing to them. Tom Bailey, RaboResearch, will look at the significant growth of omnichannel strategies. Curt Avallone, Takeoff Technologies, will describe the economics surrounding the use of robotics and artificial intelligence in e-grocery. Colleen McClellan, Datassential, will discuss how consumers’ in and out of home behavior has shifted. Mike Poznansky, Neato, will help attendees understand Gen Z and how to earn their long-term loyalty. Zack Nippert, CivicScience, will share powerful data on what’s next for consumers and brands including inflation, supply chain issues and macro-trends.

The conference will close early on Wednesday when Zack Nippert returns with Erica Norton, The Hershey Company, to discuss the trends, behaviors, and predictions of what the post-pandemic shopper will look like and how brands can prepare.

To preserve the informal atmosphere that encourages group discussion and more personal interaction, the conference will be limited to 150 attendees. Registration is open on the conference website at www.NFRAExecutiveConference.org. 

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NFRA is a non-profit trade association representing all segments of the frozen and refrigerated foods industry.  Headquartered in Harrisburg, Pa., NFRA is the sponsor of March National Frozen Food Month, June Dairy Month, June/July Ice Cream & Novelties promotion, as well as educational outreach programs. NFRA holds the annual National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Convention in October. 

Creative, Calm and Cool: Simple Ideas for a Delicious Holiday

Posted on | by Natalie Limm | Leave a Comment on Creative, Calm and Cool: Simple Ideas for a Delicious Holiday

The Freezer and Dairy Aisles Can Make Your Celebration Less Stressful and More Tasty

HARRISBURG, Pa. December 17, 2021 — Jingle bells are ringing, presents are being wrapped with care and merry menus are being planned. The most wonderful time of the year is here. Even though the holidays are returning to normal-ish, the normal levels of stress don’t have to come back with them.

This year, the National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA) is ready with cool and creative recipes and tips to keep the worries low and the festive spirit high. The freezer and dairy aisles are full of secret weapons that can save you time and stress in the kitchen.

TIPS TO STRESS LESS

  • Stock Up: With a fully stocked fridge and freezer, you’ll have plenty of breakfast items and snacks on-hand and ready for hungry family and friends. Fill up with frozen fruit, waffles, eggs, cheeses, yogurts, pizza, wings and more.
  • Embrace Shortcuts: Ease your holiday cooking stress with tasty vegetables and side dishes from the frozen and dairy aisles of the store. All the peeling and chopping is done, saving you time. Waste less by using only what you need and putting the rest back in the freezer for the next time.
  • Cheat a Little: You don’t have to make everything from scratch. Frozen appetizers and desserts are heat-and-eat crowd-pleasers. Dress them up with fresh herbs, a holiday-inspired sauce, a drizzle of chocolate or dollop of whipped cream for a homemade look.
  • Get Inspired: Visit EasyHomeMeals.com or follow Easy Home Meals on Instagram for more creative, inspiring holiday meal, appetizer and dessert ideas.

See the complete multimedia news release with recipes, videos and more on Multivu.com

Kevin Schwab

National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association Elected New 2022 Officers and Directors

Posted on | by Julie Henderson | Leave a Comment on National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association Elected New 2022 Officers and Directors

HARRISBURG, Pa. – The National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA) elected its Association Officers and Members of the Board of Directors for 2021-2022 at its Annual Board of Directors meeting held virtually on October 20, 2021.

Kevin Schwab, EVP/CCO Sales & Marketing, The Pictsweet Company,has been elected to serve as Chairman of the Board. Schwab has served on the Board of Directors from 2003 to 2005 and again from 2012 to 2021. He served as Chairman-Elect from 2019-2021. Schwab is also a member of the Honorable Order of Golden Penguins.

Other officers announced at the meeting were: John Arnold, Sargento Foods, Chairman-Elect; Neil Ritchey, InnovAsian Cuisine Enterprises, Secretary; Mark Tarzwell, Ateeco, Inc./Mrs. T’s Pierogies, Treasurer; Tye Anthony, Associated Wholesale Grocers (AWG), Vice Chairman – Frozen and Joey Bates, Harris Teeter, Vice Chairman – Refrigerated.

Newly elected to the Board of Directors were: Tracy Aquila, Southeastern Grocers; Todd Bostian, Lowes Foods; Jim Buchta, CROSSMARK; Amanda Klane, Yasso, Inc.; Lauren Corprew, General Mills; Mike Ridenour, Kraft Heinz Company; Shannon Sherrard, Graeter’s Ice Cream; and Marcelle Smalley, Oliva International Foods.

Re-elected to the Board of Directors were: Chris Groll, Florida’s Natural; Risa Jenkins, C&S Wholesale Grocers; Bill Kynast, Chobani Global Holding; and Jeff Nelson, IMPACT NSS.

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About National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA)

NFRA is a non-profit trade association representing all segments of the frozen and refrigerated foods industry. Headquartered in Harrisburg, PA, NFRA is the sponsor of March National Frozen Food Month, June Dairy Month, June/July Ice Cream & Novelties promotion and the Cool Food for Kids educational outreach program. NFRA provides consumer information such as food safety guidelines, meal preparation tips, recipes and sweepstakes opportunities at http://www.EasyHomeMeals.com. Further information available at https://nfraweb.org.

clear awards plates sitting on black table

NFRA Announces 2021 Golden Penguin Winners

Posted on | by Julie Henderson | Leave a Comment on NFRA Announces 2021 Golden Penguin Winners

HARRISBURG, Pa. – The National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA) has announced the winners of the Golden Penguin Awards for its 2021 annual promotions including March Frozen Food Month, June Dairy Month and Summer Favorites Ice Cream & Novelties. NFRA promotions help the industry drive traffic in the frozen food and dairy aisles and increase sales for many categories and brands. In recognition of those efforts, NFRA has awarded 48 Gold awards and 27 Silver awards for March Frozen Food Month, 22 Gold awards and 25 Silver awards for June Dairy Month, and 31 Gold awards and 45 Silver awards for Summer Favorites Ice Cream & Novelties. See the complete list of winners for all three promotions.  

The Golden Penguin Awards provide an opportunity for companies to be nationally recognized for excellence in merchandising and marketing frozen and refrigerated foods. Following the cancellation of the 2021 NFRA Convention, the winners will be recognized on the association website, NFRAweb.org. In addition, the highest scoring entry in each of the Overall Marketing Campaign sub-categories will be revealed as Top Marketers at 3:00 p.m. EDT on October 19, 2021 on the website.

NFRA’s Golden Penguin Awards program features ten categories that reflect today’s marketing practices, including: In-Store Display, In-Store Event, Community Involvement, Social Media Campaign, Private Brand Campaign and Overall Marketing Campaign with sub-categories for Retailer, Wholesaler, Manufacturer, Sales Agent and Local Association. Plus, the Top Marketer Awards honor the best of the best – the highest scoring entry in each of the Overall Marketing Campaign sub-categories is named the Top Marketer.

Retailers, wholesalers, manufacturers, sales agents and associations of any size can enter any category applicable to their business. Entries are judged on their own merit taking into consideration organization size and program budget.

# # #

NFRA is a non-profit trade association representing all segments of the frozen and refrigerated foods industry. Headquartered in Harrisburg, Pa., NFRA is the sponsor of March National Frozen Food Month, June Dairy Month, June/July Ice Cream & Novelties promotion, and Cool Food for Kids educational outreach program. NFRA holds the annual National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Convention in October. 

Tarnowski & Graeter Headshots

Two Industry Leaders Inducted into 2021 Frozen Food Hall of Fame

Posted on | by Julie Henderson | Leave a Comment on Two Industry Leaders Inducted into 2021 Frozen Food Hall of Fame

HARRISBURG, Pa. – The National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA) and the American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI) are pleased to announce that the Distinguished Order of Zerocrats have inducted two food industry leaders into the 2021 Frozen Food Hall of Fame.

The 2021 inductees are Richard Graeter, president and CEO, Graeter’s Ice Cream Company and Ray Tarnowski, retired president, Philadelphia Warehousing & Cold Storage.

As part of the fourth generation of the Graeter’s Ice Cream legacy, Richard Graeter has been CEO of the company since 2007. His dedication to the artisanal French Pot ice cream making tradition, now used only by Graeter’s, has grown the company significantly by opening stores throughout the Midwest and expanding distribution to grocery stores across the United States. In 2010, Graeter’s opened a new manufacturing plant that was named by Dairy Foods Magazine as its Plant of the Year in 2011. Richard’s leadership has led him to being named an Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2014 and being inducted into the Specialty Food Association’s Hall of Fame in 2020.

Ray Tarnowski entered the frozen food industry in 1979 when he joined Philadelphia Warehousing & Cold Storage. After five years with the company, he was named President. After a noteworthy 41-year career at Philadelphia Warehousing & Cold Storage, Ray retired in 2020. Upon retirement, he successfully managed the sale of the facility, which was the oldest frozen food warehouse in the U.S. at the time. Over his career, Ray served in many leadership roles, including the World Food Logistics Organization and Global Cold Chain Alliance. Ray served as Treasurer of NFRA for 20 years. He is a member of the Distinguished Order of Zerocrats and the Honorable Order of Golden Penguins.

The induction ceremony will take place at the 2022 NFRA Convention, October 15-18 in Orlando, Fla.

The Frozen Food Hall of Fame was established in 1990 by the Distinguished Order of Zerocrats, an organization of industry members whose purpose is to maintain the tradition of promoting the image and advancement of the frozen food industry. These members nominate and vote on the newest inductees, whose dedication and hard work have greatly benefited the industry. A special industry-wide ceremony honors the imagination and innovation that have ensured the continued growth and success of the frozen food industry.

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Solving the Dinner Dilemma

Posted on | by Natalie Limm | Leave a Comment on Solving the Dinner Dilemma

The National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association Is Showcasing Quick and Easy Recipes for Family Mealtime

HARRISBURG, Pa., Sept. 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — The struggle is real. As kids and parents trade their carefree summer ways for time-crunched school routines, the dinner dilemma gets even more challenging. With practices, clubs, and meetings, evenings get packed with activities; and dinner becomes an afterthought.

That’s why the National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA) has launched the #CoolFoodForKids campaign on its Easy Home Meals social channels. This Fall, social posts featuring the hashtag #CoolFoodForKids help ease the dinner dilemma with recipes, tips, and more. Creative content shows parents how easy it can be to quickly get a nutritious meal ready, thanks to items from the frozen food and dairy aisles.

“The question of ‘What’s for dinner?’ is a nightly headache for a lot of families,” said Julie Henderson, VP of Communications for NFRA. “Our members offer so many easy and convenient meals for busy families. We want to show parents they can still create a wholesome meal when schedules are busy.”

September is National Family Meals Month™ encouraging families to commit to sharing one more meal at home per week. NFRA offers parents cool solutions for making at-home meals a reality through its Easy Home Meals website and social accounts. EasyHomeMeals.com showcases a delicious mix of quick and easy meals and snacks, as well as how-to videos and other tips to ease the nightly dinner dilemma.

Find recipes and read more on PRNewswire.com