GM/HBC CONFERENCE IS SCRUBBED BY FMI

CAROL ANGRISANI Additional reporting: JOEL ELSON

WASHINGTON -- The Food Marketing Institute here has discontinued its annual General Merchandise and Health and Beauty Care Conference, an event that has experienced lagging attendance over the past few years.

Though the six-year-old show's declining exhibitor representation has been known throughout the industry, some retailers and manufacturers were caught off-guard by the decision to cancel it. "I'm sorry to hear it's folding. It will create a vacuum for the educational workshops that I found valuable," said Keith Beckett, general merchandise-HBC supervisor at Niemann Foods, Quincy, Ill.

FMI President and Chief Executive Officer Tim Hammonds said canceling the meeting will enable FMI to focus on its four other annual conventions: the annual supermarket industry convention, which will run May 5 to 8, 1996, in Chicago; FMI AsiaMart, which FMI recently decided will be an annual event, Oct. 30 to Nov. 1, 1996, in Hong Kong; MarkeTechnics, Feb. 11 to 13, New Orleans, and its newest convention, MealSolutions, Sept. 8 to 10, Phoenix, which targets value-added and fresh prepared foods in supermarkets.

"Discontinuing the FMI GM/HBC conference reduces duplication for our members and suppliers, and frees staff time to concentrate on our new conventions," Hammonds said in a press statement. "Adding the new MealSolutions, and moving AsiaMart to an every-year event, both in the fall of the year, helped us to reach this decision."

General merchandise and HBC will remain important topics to FMI, and will be represented

at its annual supermarket industry convention, according to FMI. "The category will be represented there," said Edie Clark, director of media relations at FMI.

The 1995 GM/HBC convention had a total of 1,715 attendees, down from 1,972 in 1994, and 2,814 in 1993, according to Clark. Exhibitor representation fell from 1,972 in 1993 to 1,318 in 1994 and 858 in 1995.

However, Clark stressed that retail and wholesaler participation had improved. The 1995 convention had 591 retailers and wholesalers, up from 351 in 1994, and 510 in 1993. "The retailer and wholesaler numbers were up in 1995. We consider [the GM/HBC conference] successful in that way," Clark said. To help boost attendance, FMI modified the layout, format and registration process of the 1995 GM/HBC show, held Oct. 8 to 10 in Philadelphia. Changes included the addition of prescheduled "targeted business reviews," at which retailers, exhibitors and suppliers could discuss business topics.

Also, the 1995 conference was consolidated into one large room. The show floor held exhibitors, and also areas for workshops and "idea exchange luncheons." At the same time, free registration was offered to retailers and wholesalers who registered through March 31. "FMI has invested considerable effort and resources over the last six years into a GM/HBC convention specifically designed for the supermarket industry," Hammonds said. "With the adjustments made in the 1995 show format, we enjoyed a successful event and experienced a substantial improvement in retailer and wholesaler participation over 1994."

W. Scott Roberts, vice president of business relations for the North America division at Gillette, Boston, said he had no idea FMI canceled the 1996 show, which had been scheduled to be held in Charlotte, N.C.

Roberts, who served on the GM/HBC conference educational committee, said he thought the event had improved.

"The [1994] show in St. Louis was not good, but we made progress the following year," he said. "FMI and the committee worked very hard to make changes in the show; some aspects were executed a little bit better than others. We looked forward to putting more of the pieces together and make it even better for Charlotte." He added, "We think it's something the food industry needed." Beckett of Niemann Foods agreed, saying he made a lot of important contacts and learned a lot from the educational programs offered at the Philadelphia show.

"I had a first-hand look at how other chains solve problems facing us all," he said. Ken Johnson, vice president of nonfood merchandising at Hannaford Bros., Scarborough, Maine, said, based on attendance, the decision was expected. He said, however, he doesn't think it will adversely affect the general merchandise and HBC categories in supermarkets. "There are a lot of places for retailers to go for educational programs, including the regular FMI convention, the School Home and Office Products Association, General Merchandise Distributors Council and the International Housewares Show," he said.

Charles Yahn, vice president of general merchandise at Associated Wholesalers, York, Pa., said he wasn't aware that FMI discontinued the show, but that it didn't surprise him.

"The attendance was never there. [FMI] tried hard and made it free. What more can you do?" he said. "I heard from the manufacturer side that a lot of buyers attended, but not the right people -- the decision makers."