The Forecast: What Does 2023 Look Like?

In the latest issue of California Grocer magazine we take what we’ve learned from the past year to forecast all that’s to come in 2023. Read Issue 4 online here.

First, we introduce you to the new CGA Board Chair, Dennis Darling, owner of Foods, Etc. Following an influx of new members at the capitol, insider Louie Brown from Kahn, Soares & Conway, LLP introduces us to new faces in the Legislature. California campaign strategist Jessica Mause breaks down results from the midterm election and what they mean for California in the new year. President of the National Grocers Association Greg Ferrara tells independent grocers can expect from the new congress. Immediate Past Chair Renee Amen pens her final column, reflecting on her year as Chair. From Cal Poly San Luis Obispo’s Agribusiness Department, Dr. Ricky Volpe helps us understand inflation’s effects on food prices and where they’re headed next.

Must-read sections from Issue 4:

• Understanding Food Prices and Where They’re Headed (Pg. 16)
  Dr. Ricky Volpe, Ph.D.
• Dennis Darling to Serve as 2023 CGA Board Chair (Pg. 24)
  Jessica Love
• California’s Midterm Election: A Recap and What’s Next (Pg. 28)
  Jessica Mause
• Mommy Blogger: Shopper Beware (Pg. 52)
  Kimberly Rae Miller
  

We’re ringing in 2023 with a packed schedule of events. Our signature events feature the perfect balance of networking with educational programming, meaning you’re sure to walk away with new business connections and ideas to move your company forward. We look forward to connecting with our grocery community throughout the year at the following events.

For more details about our events, click here. For questions about our events, contact Beth Wright, Sr. Director of Events and Sponsorship.

Dennis Darling, Owner, Foods, Etc., was elected the 2022-2023 California Grocers Association (CGA) Chair of the Board of Directors at the Association’s Annual Meeting on Dec. 1, 2022. 

As Chair, Darling will take on a strategic role to oversee CGA’s many legislative, educational, and industry-related programs. CGA is comprised of more than 350 retail companies, operating more than 6,000 stores in the west. The chair serves for one year. Darling succeeds Renee Amen, Controller, Super A Foods. 

“Dennis has been integral to ushering our community of independent operators into the Association,” said CGA President and CEO Ron Fong. “As an independent store owner himself, Dennis has a personal perspective and deep dedication to our industry, making him well-suited to lead our members through the upcoming year.” 

Darling and his wife, Ruth, have owned and operated Foods Etc. in Clearlake and Susanville, California, for 25 years. Along with chairing the CGA Board, Darling is an active member of CGA’s Independent Operators Committee, which supports independent grocers in areas ranging from compliance to labor and employment. 

In addition to Darling, the following individuals were elected to the 2022-2023 CGA Board of Directors Executive Committee: First Vice Chair, Lynn Melillo, Bristol Farms; Second Vice Chair, Steve Dietz, UNFI; Treasurer, Michel LeClerc, North State Grocery; Secretary, Richard Wardwell, Superior Grocers; and Immediate Past Chair, Renee Amen, Super A Foods. 

Directors elected to their first full three-year team include: Brendan McAbee, Bimbo Bakeries USA; Karl Schroeder, Albertsons Companies; Chris Dehoff, Dehoff’s Key Markets; Donovan Ford, Save Mart Supermarkets; Chang So, Hollister Super; Bertha Luna, Stater Bros. Markets; Adam Salgado, Cardenas Markets; Tim Mahoney, Gelson’s Markets; Brian Pohl, Classic Wines of California; and Tiffany Menyhart, the Kraft Heinz Company. 

Directors elected to their second three-year term include: Sergio Gonzalez, Northgate Markets; Bryan Jankans, Mondelez International, Inc.; Joe Mueller, Kellogg Company; Subriana Pierce, Navigator Sales & Marketing; Jeff Schmiege, Unilever; and Greg Sheldon, Anheuser-Busch InBev. 

Elliott Stone, Mollie Stone’s Markets was appointed Executive Committee-IOC Chair. Former CGA Chair Hee-Sook Alden was elected an honorary board member. 

Join CGA for a day of strategy, analysis, and action at the Association’s in-person Government Relations Day. From local government challenges to state and regulatory concerns, CGA’s in-person GR Day will set the table for the coming year’s political objectives.

GR Day attendees will hear expert takes on California’s political scene today and analyses of legislation impacting our industry. Matt Rodriguez, who specializes in California campaigns, will survey election results. Louie Brown, the Association’s contract lobbyist and longtime Capitol insider, will break down key legislation. Stuart Waldman, President of the Valley Industry Commerce Association, will present his take on recent political maneuvering in the Los Angeles City Council.

GR Day takes place November 10 in Van Nuys at Anheuser-Busch, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Reserve your spot today. RSVP here.

How to Communicate in Times of Crisis

As public spaces and essential businesses, grocery stores are increasingly faced with serious public relations challenges — everything from inflation to tragic in-store violence.

At this year’s GR Day, grocers will spring into action during a communications seminar led by media expert Nancy Heffernan from Lucas Public Affairs. After learning the latest political happenings, GR Day participants will explore the new media landscape facing grocers, how to manage media in a crisis, and engage in interactive scenarios and drills. 

Whether you’re a c-suite executive, government relations leader, or communications professional, the Crisis Communications Seminar offers all public affairs stakeholders the chance to brush up on the basics and sharpen the advanced techniques needed for these challenging times.

For questions, contact Leticia Garcia.

From the bottom of our hearts, Team CGA would like to thank you for a memorable CGA Strategic Conference!

Our fully in-person event wrapped up on the last week of September and it was one for the books. Together we explored what retail will look like going forward, and how we can all rise to the occasion. We hope you walked away with a notebook full of ideas and a stack of new business cards.

It was a pleasure to see innovative new brands compete in our Emerging Brands Pitch Contest (shoutout to our first-place winner, Drunk Fruit). Our sold-out exhibit floor was full of many new faces and familiar ones. We sipped through the Tequila Tasting and Guacamole Happy Hour with the Illuminators and practiced our improv skills during the Opening Experience with Galen Emanuele. We tackled familiar supply chain challenges during the General Session with KeHe’s Amy Kirtland, heard a new perspective on resilience with Kevin Carroll, and pondered the retail roadmap with keynotes Carol Spiekerman and Kathy Varol. But most importantly, we connected with all of you, which is what we do best.

Thank you again and we’ll meet you back in Palm Springs in 2023!

We are delighted to announce that the California Grocers Association has hired Ion Bazgan as Controller following the retirement of former Controller Gary Brewer.

In this role, Ion will manage the accounting needs, financial reports, and investment accounts for the California Grocers Association, the CGA Educational Foundation, and Aisle 3 Concepts, LLC as well as the operations of the finance department.

“The financial health of CGA and the Foundation is in great hands with Ion, a highly qualified finance professional with an impressive background,” said President and CEO Ron Fong.

Ion’s extensive experience in financial management over the course of 25 years, most recently as Accounting Manager at Lettis Consultants International for the last 10 years, makes him a valuable addition to the Association and team CGA.

A graduate of the University of California, Davis, Ion holds two Bachelor of Arts degrees in Economics and German.

Join us in welcoming Ion to CGA! Ion can be reached at [email protected].

Discovering New Roads: Emerging Brands Pitch Contest

Hosted in Collaboration With the Navigator Lighthouse Foundation

The moment is finally here to announce the eight emerging companies selected to participate in the first-ever Discovering New Roads: Emerging Brands Pitch Contest at this year’s CGA Strategic Conference.

Contestants will take the stage for five minutes to tell their story and deliver their best pitch in an effort to win over the audience of industry decision-makers. Winners will walk away with unique prizes and critical business connections to elevate their brand.

Thank you to all of our applicants and congratulations to our selected participants!

I Eat My Greens

I Eat My Greens makes refrigerated plant-based soups that will make you fall in love with veggies! Their soups are minimally processed as seen by their vibrant colors and flavors.

They are obsessed with creating the best tasting soup without adding any unnecessary ingredients. Chef-crafted with clean, simple, whole food ingredients to delight your taste buds. Offering unique flavors never seen in the market before. 

They make it easy for you and your family to get your daily veggie intake in just 90 seconds. Best of all, your family will never know you didn’t make it from scratch.

I Eat My Greens is a minority-owned business that supports small scale family farms and donates meals to underserved communities. 

Website

Rethink Ice cream

ReThink is a Kinder Ice Cream to the Tummy, Cow, Environment & Community. Our mission is to make Tummy Friendly Ice Cream for the masses, and in the process create a new ice cream category built on gut health without sacrificing taste and texture

Website

Jelly Belly Sparking Water

Joffer Beverage Company, the licensee and promoter of Jelly Belly Sparkling Water, bring fun and flavor to the sparkling water category. Come by and sample our new Chocolate flavor – a totally guiltless indulgence. 

Joffer Beverage Company is bringing a flavor for everyone for incremental growth and new customers to the category

Website

NewGem Foods

NewGem Foods’ mission is to create a convenient and flavorful way to eat healthily and reduce global food waste by improving traditional foods with our plant-based wrap technology.

Website

Pennies Tea

With a mission to promote healthy living, Pennie’s Tea was designed to create change in the lives of its customers by infusing high-quality loose-leaf teas and cold brewed ice tea beverages with robust flavors for unique tasting experiences. 

The passion and drive behind the brand come from its loyal customers and founder, a survivor of domestic violence. A percentage of proceeds from Pennie’s Tea supports the safety and education of women who have experienced domestic violence. Pennie’s Tea is more than a drink … It’s a movement, transforming the way you experience tea.

Website

Built Bar

Built is unique when it comes protein bars. With its exceptional nutritional profile and premium high-quality ingredients, Built is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar.  Only 130 Calories, 4g of Sugar, 17g of Protein and Gluten Free.

Website

Drunk Fruit

Drunk Fruit makes hard seltzers that celebrate the delightful fruits of Asia. Winner of multiple taste awards, our lineup of lychee, yuzu, and melon seltzers are brewed using a craft process and premium ingredients. Founded by Asian-American immigrants who want to bring representation of our culture to the alcohol world.

Website

Blind Tiger Spirit- Free Cocktails

Prohibition-inspired pours made for the modern drinker, Blind Tiger produces bar-quality, spirit-free cocktails ready to sip or mix. All-natural, organic, gluten-free and shelf stable, each beverage is known to classic cocktail culture, and all have a story to tell. Welcome back to the Roaring 20s!

Website

DISCOVERING NEW ROADS PITCH CONTEST

Sometimes all you need is to be in the right place at the right time. We can help with that.

Announcing the very first Emerging Brands Pitch Contest at the CGA Strategic Conference. The opportunity you’ve been waiting for to spotlight your product and gain exposure to major players in the California market is here!

WHAT

Ten emerging companies will be selected to showcase their brand to an influential audience of California retailers and Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) companies. Contestants will have five minutes to take the stage to deliver their best pitch in an effort to win over the audience of industry decision-makers. Winners will walk away with unique prizes and business connections to help your brand reach the next level.

WHEN

September 25, 2022, 2:30 – 4:30 pm

WHERE

Palm Springs, California 

WHO

Any company that meets the following criteria may apply:

• Must be retail ready, able to ship product to California retailers starting October 1, 2022.
• Must be available to attend the CGA Strategic Conference in Palm Springs, September 25-27, 2022.
• Grocery Sales must be in the range of $100,000 – $2 million
• Company must be under 10 years old.
• Must have a distribution supply chain network (i.e. UNFI, KEHE, C&S, DPI)
• Will not qualify if they have participated in CGASC Emerging Brands Sessions in the past.
• Product should be innovative and fill a consumer need. Sales pitch must explain your go-to-market and promotional strategy.

What is your WHY? You will have 5 minutes to present your product and tell your story. What makes your product different? Unique? Compelling? The story is as important as the product.

Deadline for submissions is July 31, 2022 and selected companies will be notified by August 12, 2022.

APPLY HERE

In early June the independent grocery community enjoyed another successful day on the green for the CGA Independent Grocers Golf Tournament! Friends and colleagues old and new had the opportunity to build relationships, try product samples, and compete in a game of golf during a beautiful day on the course.  Events like these remind us how impactful it can be to make new business connections and foster existing relationships with colleagues away from the office.   Thank you to our golfers and amazing sponsors for making this day possible!

Start Your Journey

It’s time to redraw the retail roadmap. Registration is now open for the CGA Strategic Conference. Meet us in Palm Springs to make meaningful business connections, experience valuable educational sessions, and enjoy quality time with peers.

Secure your spot and hotel accommodations today.

Register here

The Retail Roadmap

Rounding another corner of the pandemic, the California grocery industry sets its sights on the road ahead. Charting new terrain —from unpredictable supply chain bottlenecks to labor-related hurdles and rapid inflation— retailers and brands now must redraw the retail roadmap to develop new skills, test new approaches, and accelerate decision-making.

Learn more

Destination of the Year

The first stop on your journey is here. Join us in Palm Springs for insightful educational sessions tackling the latest trends, issues, and solutions in our industry, peer-to-peer social events, and our signature retailer/supplier meetings.

Learn more

Go the Distance With a Sponsorship

Sponsorship opportunities are available at various investment and exposure levels. All sponsors receive a set number of private, pre-arranged meetings with senior management, procurement teams, and other retail professionals in the California grocery industry.

Whether you represent a new product or an established national supplier, this not-to-be-missed gathering of top industry decision makers will guide towards vital business relationships and help plot strategies to reach your desired business destination.

Learn more