RESTON, Va. -- The National Grocers Association here is in the process of clarifying and updating its mission statement for the first time in its 22-year history to broaden the definition of what constitutes an independent operator and his contemporary needs.
"As the industry has changed through mergers and acquisitions, we felt this was an appropriate time to evaluate the mission we put forth 22 years ago to better reflect the structure of the industry today," Thomas K. Zaucha, NGA president and chief executive officer, told SN.
In the interview, Zaucha outlined the speakers at the association's annual convention, scheduled for Feb. 9 to 12 in Las Vegas.
Regarding the mission statement, Zaucha said, "It's a matter of figuring out how to reposition ourselves in terms of programs and services to do a better job representing the community-focused independent sector today. Twenty-two years ago some regional chains may have seemed bigger than they do today, but with the mega-mergers that created national chains, some of those regionals share the same concerns and needs of other, much smaller operators, and it's that kind of community focus, rather than size or store numbers, that serves as a significant point of differentiation within the industry today."
Zaucha said NGA plans to present the revised mission statement to its members at the convention in February.
According to NGA's original mission statement, the association's purpose was "to advance the common interests, improve the level of trust and mutual understandings and enhance the business partnerships between independent retail grocers, retailer-owned companies and voluntary wholesale distributors with manufacturers and suppliers ... so as to better serve the consumer."
"What we never really quite articulated before was the passion of the community-focused independent," Zaucha explained. "But every mission statement should be grounded in the economics of doing business, and we believe that a diversity of competition in the marketplace is a better option than market concentration because with diversity comes better pricing, better variety, better quality, a higher level of service and a true sense of entrepreneurship and creativity -- all things you lose when a market becomes too concentrated.
"As we look at NGA and its members now and in the future, we see the community-focused retailer in a class by itself, and we think a new mission statement may better reflect the economics and the thinking of our membership."
Zaucha said any new mission statement is also likely to reflect the association's "10 keys to retailer success" that it has developed over the last few years: effective competition with power buyers; repeal of restrictive government regulations; creating a level playing field; reinventing the supermarket as a lifestyle destination center; winning back Center Store sales; recruiting and retaining quality managers; using retailers and wholesalers to operate more as a virtual chain; utilizing technology; creating synergies to be more competitive; and accessing growth capital.
Examples of how NGA members are advancing their businesses through these effective strategies are illustrated in this special report.
According to Zaucha, the repeal of country-of-origin legislation is at the top of NGA's current legislative calendar. "Country-of-origin labeling is anti-consumer, anti-economic growth and anti-business, and repealing that law before it takes effect next Sept. 30 absolutely has the highest priority on our legislative agenda," he said.
"We're on a campaign to preserve competition and maintain a level playing field for the community-focused grocers we represent."
Zaucha said NGA will have an area on the convention floor where members can send e-mails and faxes to their representatives in Washington urging repeal of the measure.
Annual Show Preview
For the third year, NGA's annual convention will be a concept show, called Supermarket Synergies Showcase, or S3, that integrates general sessions, workshop sessions, breakfast sessions, the convention floor and store tours "to give those in attendance a total and thorough game plan for pursuing new ideas in terms of concept, design and implementation so when they go back to their stores, they will be able to adapt what they learned to their own operations," Zaucha explained.
"During the show we will talk about specific concepts in the general sessions and the workshops sessions, show how to put them together with interactive models on the convention floor and demonstrate how they work in the real world through store tours," Zaucha said. "Throughout the convention we'll be introducing ideas and reinforcing them over and over so retailers can do a better job of execution once they get home.
Highlights of NGA's 2004 annual convention will include:
The S3 concept show, focusing on general merchandise and lifestyle solutions, financial and operational services, technology, specialty foods, Center Store sales, prepared foods and fresh foods.
More than 30 workshops dealing with human resources, marketing, financial and operational services, technology and store design.
A general session dealing with the outlook for the economy and the 2004 presidential election year, featuring former Vice President Al Gore and former Congressman J.C. Watts, founder of Revitalizing America. The same session will include presentations by Zaucha and Michael S. Needler, NGA chairman, reporting on challenges facing the independent sector and on NGA's new strategic plan.
A general session on the supermarket as a lifestyle destination to promote healthier eating, featuring Dr. Dean Ornish, founder of the Preventive Medicine Research Institute, and Dr. Kenneth Cooper, founder of The Cooper Aerobics Center.
A general session focusing on the consumer, features Phil Lempert who will talk about a new research study conducted for NGA on why consumers prefer shopping at community-focused independent stores; and Anna Marie Fernandez Haar, chairman and CEO of the TAC Group, will discuss opportunities in a culturally diverse marketplace.
Breakfast sessions featuring Seattle-based consultant Art Turock on how to coexist with Wal-Mart; Los Angeles-based retailer Mike Provenzano, whose stores in California and Arizona cater to Hispanics, on the untapped potential of ethnic foods; author Mitch Albom, focusing on the individual; and a choice of Dr. Glenn Saltzman on finding happiness or Dr. James Hill on how one's personal diet affects physical and emotional health.
