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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. 

2019 NFRA Convention Welcome Sign

2019 NFRA Convention Breaks Participation Record and Hosts Over 3,000 Retailer Business Appointments

Posted on | by Julie Henderson | Leave a Comment on 2019 NFRA Convention Breaks Participation Record and Hosts Over 3,000 Retailer Business Appointments

October 29, 2019 | HARRISBURG, Pa. – The 2019 National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Convention set its highest participation record since 1994 with over 1,350 total attendees who held an estimated 3,000 business appointments with leading retailers. The event held on October 12-15, 2019, at the World Center Marriott, Orlando, Fla. and hosted by the National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA), was designed to bring together leading companies from every segment of the industry in one venue to efficiently and effectively conduct the maximum amount of business in the least amount of time.

Ninety-eight retailers booked meeting rooms to hold customer business appointments. According to a survey of convention attendees, over 65% of retailer participants held more than 20 appointments lasting at least 30 minutes each throughout the event. In addition, some retailers participated in 6-minute speed meetings to accommodate new members and smaller manufacturers who may have difficulty getting regular appointments. Twenty-two retailers set aside time for speed meetings with 100 manufacturers creating an additional 500 meeting slots, a 12% increase over 2018.

From beginning to end, the convention was structured to help attendees make valuable connections. The opening Taste of Excellence Reception on Sunday, October 13, featured 51 manufacturers, including 10 new NFRA member companies, showcasing over 115 of the latest frozen and refrigerated food products.

Headlining the convention at the Monday, October 14 breakfast was Jon Dorenbos, former NFL Player and America’s Got Talent finalist telling his incredible life story through magic. At the Tuesday, October 15 breakfast session, NFRA unveiled its 2019 State of the Industry Report. Todd Hale, former Senior Vice President, Consumer & Shopper Insights with Nielsen presented highlights from the report and facilitated a panel discussion with industry leaders, Tony Hatok, Sr. Director Meat Merchandising, Giant Eagle, Greg Somerville, VP Sales, Land O’Lakes and Matt Lindsay, General Manager Frozen Breakfast, Kellogg’s.

The convention also served as a platform for recognizing NFRA leaders and award recipients. The Annual Membership Luncheon on October 14 included the induction of NFRA’s new officers and directors. Joe D’Alberto, Director Dairy/Frozen, Harris Teeter Team, Acosta Sales & Marketing, was elected as Chairman of the Board. In addition, two new Refrigerated Food Hall of Fame inductees were John Larsen, Albertsons Companies and Jeff Thomas, Crystal Farms (retired).

An Awards Luncheon on October 15 recognized the 2019 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 were revealed as Top Marketers during the luncheon. Seven companies were named Top Marketers for March Frozen Food Month including: Frozen & Refrigerated Food Council of Northern California, B&G Foods/Green Giant, Mrs. T’s Pierogies, Harris Teeter, Weis Markets, IMPACT Group Southwest and C&S Wholesale Grocers. Five companies were named Top Marketers for June Dairy Month including: Frozen & Refrigerated Food Council of Northern California, Land O’Lakes, Albertsons Safeway Southwest, IMPACT Group Southwest and C&S Wholesale Grocers. Three companies were named Top Marketers for the Ice Cream & Novelties promotion including: Graeter’s Ice Cream, Chris’ Food Center and IMPACT Group Southwest.

The 2020 NFRA Convention is set for October 17-20 at the Gaylord National, National Harbor, Md. Registration for the event opens March 1, 2020. For more information, visit NFRAConvention.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 Frozen Food Month, June Dairy Month, June/July Ice Cream & Novelties and the Cool Food for Kids educational outreach program.

Convention Speed Meetings

National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Convention Slated for October 12-15 in Orlando, Fla.

Posted on | by Julie Henderson | Leave a Comment on National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Convention Slated for October 12-15 in Orlando, Fla.

April 26, 2019 | Harrisburg, Pa. – The 2019 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 12-15, 2019 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 conduct business in less time, all in one place. NFRA provides its retailer members with complimentary meeting rooms to hold appointments throughout the convention. 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 13, where over 50 manufacturers will showcase their latest products. This engaging opening event allows attendees to interact with industry colleagues, introduce themselves to new contacts and sample the newest items in frozen and refrigerated foods.

This year’s agenda features Monday Breakfast speaker, Jon Dorenbos, magician, former NFL player and America’s Got Talent finalist who will showcase his sleight-of-hand skills, tell his incredible life story and share insights on teamwork, perseverance and acceptance of failure. The Monday Membership Luncheon serves as NFRA’s annual business meeting with the induction of NFRA’s new officers and directors. Monday evening is the NFRA Member Appreciation Reception, which will provide an excellent networking opportunity while celebrating the NFRA membership and their support of the industry.

Tuesday’s breakfast session features a preview of NFRA’s 2019 State of the Industry Report and a panel of industry executives offering insights on how member categories can be leveraged to connect with shoppers and drive industry growth. The Tuesday Awards Luncheon will honor the 2019 Golden Penguin Award winners, and the 2019 Top Marketer Award winners will also be unveiled for the first time.

It is recommended to register by June 7, 2019 to be included in the first attendee list, which is distributed to all registrants so they can schedule their meetings prior to arriving in Orlando. To register for the 2019 NFRA Convention, visit NFRAConvention.org or contact NFRA at (717) 657-8601.

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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. 

Speed Meetings

2018 NFRA Convention Breaks Participation Record and Hosts Nearly 2,200 Retailer Business Appointments

Posted on | by Julie Henderson | Leave a Comment on 2018 NFRA Convention Breaks Participation Record and Hosts Nearly 2,200 Retailer Business Appointments

November 14, 2019 | Harrisburg, Pa. – The 2018 National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Convention set a participation record with over 1,260 total attendees who held an estimated 2,200 business appointments with leading retailers. The event held on October 20-23, 2018, at the Marriott Marquis San Diego, San Diego, Calif. and hosted by the National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA), was designed to bring together leading companies from every segment of the industry in one venue to efficiently and effectively conduct the maximum amount of business in the least amount of time.

Eighty-six retailers booked meeting rooms to hold customer business appointments. According to a survey of convention attendees, more than half the retailer participants held more than 20 appointments lasting at least 30 minutes each throughout the event. In addition, some retailers participated in 6-minute speed meetings to accommodate new members and smaller manufacturers who may have difficulty getting regular appointments. Sixteen retailers set aside time for speed meetings with 74 manufacturers creating an additional 443 meeting slots which was double the number of speed meetings in 2017.

From beginning to end, the convention was structured to help attendees make valuable connections. The opening Taste of Excellence Reception on Sunday, October 20, included 53 manufacturers, including 10 new NFRA member companies, showcasing over 170 of the latest frozen and refrigerated food products.

Headlining the convention were two popular speakers offering their unique insights. At the Monday, October 21 breakfast, Brian Solis, Principal Analyst and Futurist at Altimeter, discussed disruptive technology and its impact on business. During the Tuesday, October 22 breakfast session, Todd Buchholz, former White House Economic Policy Director, shared his thoughts on economics, finance and business strategy.

The convention also served as a platform for recognizing NFRA leaders and award recipients. The Annual Membership Luncheon on October 21 included the induction of NFRA’s new officers and directors. Dave Jones, VP Industry Initiatives, Kellogg Company, was elected as Chairman of the Board. Mr. Jones also led a panel discussion with students from St. Joseph’s University food marketing program sharing their thoughts and shopping habits related to the frozen and refrigerated categories.

A Networking Reception on October 21 recognized the 2018 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 were revealed as Top Marketers during the reception. Five companies were named Top Marketers for March Frozen Food Month including: Frozen & Refrigerated Food Council of Northern California, The Pictsweet Company, Albertsons Southwest Division, IMPACT Group and W. Lee Flowers and Company. Four companies were named Top Marketers for June Dairy Month including: Frozen & Refrigerated Food Council of Northern California, Land O’Lakes, Safeway Eastern Division and C&S Wholesale Grocers. Three companies were named Top Marketers for the Ice Cream & Novelties promotion including: Graeter’s Ice Cream, Chris’ Food Center and IMPACT Group.

The convention closed with a luncheon that included the presentation of Frozen & Refrigerated Buyer magazine’s Retail Patriot Awards honoring those companies that have gone above and beyond in support of our active and retired military and their families. Kroger and SpartanNash were both recognized as Retail Patriots.

The 2019 NFRA Convention is set for October 12-15 at the Orlando World Center Marriott, Orlando, Fla. Registration for the event opens March 1, 2019. For more information, visit NFRAConvention.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 Frozen Food Month, June Dairy Month, June/July Ice Cream & Novelties and the Cool Food for Kids educational outreach program.