FMI discontinues FMI Connect

FMI president and CEO Leslie Sarasin

The Food Marketing Institute will discontinue its annual FMI Connect show beginning in 2017, FMI’s president and CEO Leslie Sarasin announced Wednesday.

“We have concluded that FMI Connect is not exactly the right [format] for achieving our goals at FMI in helping our members facilitate business relationships that they want to engage in. And so we have determined that we will discontinue FMI Connect going forward. This will begin in 2017,” she said.

“[That event] will not occur and so we’re very excited about the opportunity to work on an event for 2018 that is perhaps quite different than FMI Connect but will be designed with impact and feedback and in consultation with our constituents.”

Sarasin related that FMI is moving forward with its Future Leaders program in 2017.

“Leadership development is an important component for our member companies and particularly the leadership in our member companies to ensure that they’re doing everything they can to develop the leaders for the future of this industry,” she said. “We’ll be reinvigorating the Future Leaders program for 2017 and we’re very enthusiastic about the opportunity that that brings as well. Sarasin said that it’s possible that FMI will incorporate other components into the 2017 event.

Tom Stenzel, president and CEO of the United Fresh Produce Association, which has co-located its United Fresh Marketplace and FreshTech expos with past FMI Connect shows, released a statement Wednesday relating that it will still host United Fresh 2017 at McCormick Place in Chicago with its show partners the International Floriculture Expo and the Global Cold Chain Expo.

“We want all of our friends from past FMI Connect events to know they are welcome to join us once again in Chicago June 13-15, 2017 for our deep dive into the world of fresh foods, produce and floral supply chains,” he said.