Category: Press Releases

NFRA Elected New 2023 Officers and Directors

Posted on | by Julie Henderson | Leave a Comment on NFRA Elected New 2023 Officers and Directors

HARRISBURG, Pa. – The National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA) elected its Association Officers and Members of the Board of Directors for 2022-2023 at its Annual Board of Directors meeting on October 15, 2022.

Kevin Schwab, EVP/CCO Sales & Marketing, The Pictsweet Company, has been elected to serve a second term as Chairman of the Board. Schwab has served on the Board of Directors from 2003 to 2005 and again from 2012 to 2022. 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: Neil Ritchey, InnovAsian Cuisine Enterprises, Chairman-Elect; Tracy Aquila, Southeastern Grocers, 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: Bryan Chartrand, Acosta Sales & Marketing; Parag Shah, The Giant Company; Clinton Wilson, Sargento Foods; Shawn Darmody, Target Corporation; and Teresa Whitney, Albertsons Companies.

Re-elected to the Board of Directors were: Jim Buchta, CROSSMARK; Tony Caloroso, Schraad Sales & Marketing; Angie Christos, Tyson Foods; Derek DeMuth, Ajinomoto Foods North America; Joe Mueller, Kellogg Company; and David Panter, Associated Food Stores.

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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 2022 June Dairy Month and Ice Cream & Novelties Golden Penguin Winners

Posted on | by Julie Henderson | Leave a Comment on NFRA Announces 2022 June Dairy Month and Ice Cream & Novelties Golden Penguin Winners

HARRISBURG, Pa. – The National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA) has announced the winners of the Golden Penguin Awards for its 2022 June Dairy Month and Summer Favorites Ice Cream & Novelties promotions. 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 22 Gold awards and 16 Silver awards for June Dairy Month and 30 Gold awards and 31 Silver awards for Summer Favorites Ice Cream & Novelties. 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 Tuesday, October 18 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 also participate in the Golden Penguin competition for March Frozen Food Month.

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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. 

The Sweetest Time of the Year: National Ice Cream Month

Posted on | by Natalie Test | Leave a Comment on The Sweetest Time of the Year: National Ice Cream Month

The Inside Scoop to Celebrate America’s Favorite Dessert

HARRISBURG, Pa., July 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Summer is in full swing, and ice cream lovers everywhere are finishing their time in the sunshine with the treat they love most. That’s why the National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA) is celebrating America’s favorite dessert this month.

And there is a lot to celebrate because Americans really love their ice cream. They consumed 12.1 pounds per person in 2019 – basically the weight of a 40″ TV. They eat it often – 73% of consumers eat ice cream at least once per week, and 84% prefer to purchase ice cream at the grocery store and eat it at home.*

This all equals a big piece of business. Fortune Business Insights estimates the global ice cream market will reach $97.85 billion in 2027, up from $71.52 billion in 2021. That’s a 37% jump in less than a decade thanks to the world’s craving for ice cream. 

Plus, ice cream and novelties are a family affair and not just for those enjoying it. The majority of U.S. ice cream and frozen dessert manufacturers have been in business for more than 50 years, and many are still family-owned businesses.

Read the complete press release on PRNewswire.com

NFRA Convention Logo

National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Convention, October 15-18, to Focus on Business Meetings with Leading Retailers

Posted on | by Julie Henderson | Leave a Comment on National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Convention, October 15-18, to Focus on Business Meetings with Leading Retailers

HARRISBURG, Pa. – The 2022 National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Convention is the premier event of the frozen and refrigerated food industry, where attendees can discover new products, connect with business partners, and grow their business. This event hosted by the National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA) will take place on October 15-18, 2022, at the Orlando World Center Marriott in Orlando, Fla.

The NFRA Convention brings together top companies from every segment of the industry so that attendees can meet one-on-one and drive their business forward. NFRA provides its retailer members with complimentary meeting rooms to hold appointments throughout the convention. Over 1,300 attendees are expected to hold an estimated 3,000 business appointments with leading retailers. The event also provides the opportunity to make new connections, sample frozen and refrigerated products, hear from valuable speakers, and network with industry leaders.

The convention kicks off with the popular Taste of Excellence reception on Sunday, October 16, where over 50 manufacturers will showcase their latest products. This exciting opening event allows attendees to interact with industry colleagues, introduce themselves to new contacts and sample the newest items in frozen and refrigerated foods.

Monday morning will begin with breakfast speaker Alec Ross, former senior advisor for Innovation, State Department, and author of New York Times best-seller The Industries of Future, which dives into economical and tech trends that will shape the next ten years. Monday afternoon’s Membership Luncheon serves as the association’s annual business meeting with the installation of NFRA’s new officers and directors, as well as the induction of the 2021 Frozen Food Hall of Fame members from last year. Monday evening winds down with the Networking Reception, which is an excellent opportunity for all attendees to make connections whether they are veterans of the industry or new members.

Tuesday’s breakfast speaker is Ken Jennings, author, gameshow host and most notably, the Greatest Jeopardy! player of all time, accumulating $2.5 million in winnings over his 75-game streak. The Tuesday Awards Luncheon will recognize the 2022 Golden Penguin winners for the March Frozen Food Month, June Dairy Month and June/July Ice Cream & Novelties promotions. Award winners with the highest scoring entries will be revealed as Top Marketers during the luncheon.

To register for the 2022 NFRA Convention, visit NFRAConvention.org or contact NFRA at (717) 657-8601. To learn more about NFRA, or to join, visit NFRAweb.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 and June/July Ice Cream & Novelties promotion, as well as educational outreach programs. 

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