FMI Rolls Tech Into May Show, Sans Marketechnics Name

MICHAEL GARRY

ARLINGTON, Va. — Food Marketing Institute here said that Marketechnics, its technology-focused conference, will not occur as a stand-alone event in 2010, but that technology educational sessions and exhibits will be featured as a “critical component” of its 2010 FMI Show at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas next May.

The programming for FMI 2010 “recognizes the fact that technology is now fully integrated into industry business,” FMI said in its announcement about FMI 2010.

FMI also said that Marketechnics will not be eliminated but “will be held in rotation with FMI’s education and exhibit biennial event.”

Marketechnics was an annual stand-alone technology conference from 1993 until 2007, when it was co-located with FMI’s May show. It was co-located again in 2008, but in 2009, Marketechnics was cancelled — and not rescheduled — when FMI decided not to hold its May events because of the H1N1 virus.

In addition, FMI is branding the 2010 FMI Show around the theme of “Customer Connect,” which “ties together” general sessions, workshops, exhibits, networking events and opportunities for trading-partner meetings, the association said in a statement about the event. It will include six educational tracks centered around customer trends, health and wellness, private brands, sustainability, technology and Future Connect leadership development.

As previously reported by SN, the May show will also include the new Supermarket Health & Wellness Conference.

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