CGA Explores AI at 2024 Strategic Conference

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Each year, CGA brings the California grocery industry together for three days of networking and education to strengthen business connections and explore timely topics and challenges facing the industry. In late September, the grocery community reunited in Palm Springs for the 2024 CGA Strategic Conference: Accelerating Impact. With emerging technologies transforming retail and the way we do business, this year’s conference centered on the impacts of artificial intelligence and new technology to help the grocery industry prepare.

A high-powered panel of AI and supply chain experts took the main stage to break down the implications of AI for the value chain. MIT professor Vivek Farias led a deep dive presentation on AI, then joined a panel discussion featuring Mario Adamy (UNFI), Miguel Paredes (Silicon Foundry), and Craig Rosenblum (Columbus Consulting).

In addition to our signature retailer-supplier business meetings and networking opportunities, this year’s event featured several new sessions and social events. Comedian Jake Johanssen kicked off the event with a hilarious stand-up routine, and attendees decompressed after a day of meetings and education at the CGA Silent Disco. To help attendees navigate California’s unique customers and retail environment, we introduced the first Golden State Summit. Led by subject experts, these TED-talk style presentations unpacked the state’s population and demographic shifts (Hans Johnson, PPIC), the evolving retail environment and store formats (Caroline Wu, Placer.ai), attitudes toward new technology (Jeremy S. Thompson, Edelman Global Advisory), and emerging consumer trends and preferences (Dan Frommer, The New Consumer).

The popular Emerging Brands Pitch Contest was back this year and bigger than ever. Six hand-selected emerging companies took the main stafe to pitch their product to a panel of judges representing Bristol Farms, Gelson’s Markets, Safeway Northern California, Costco Wholesale, and Sprouts Farmers Market. Myles Comfort Food took home first place and the people’s choice award, followed Top Fox Snacks in second place and Fresh Fizz Sodas in third.

Thank you to our speakers, sponsors, partners, and attendees, for contributing to the success of this year’s conference. We hope you left our event with strong connections and valuable takeaways to accelerate your business into the food industry’s fast-paced future.

Save the date for next year’s Strategic Conference on September 21—23, 2025 at The Westin Mission Hills, Rancho Mirage.

CGAEF Reaches $10 Million Scholarship Milestone

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The California Grocers Association Educational Foundation (CGAEF) is thrilled to announce it has reached a significant milestone of awarding $10 million in college scholarships to grocery industry employees and their dependents.

Thanks to the grocery industry’s incredible generosity and commitment to education, CGAEF has awarded 6,571 scholarships to California Grocers Association member company employees and their dependents since the Foundation’s inception in 1998. This exciting achievement reflects the grocery industry’s investment in the future of its workforce.

Through our scholarship program, CGAEF helps nurture and retain industry talent to shape the next generation of grocery leaders. This $10 million landmark has already made a lasting impact on thousands of industry employees striving to achieve their dreams.

On behalf of the CGAEF Board of Trustees and staff, we extend our gratitude to the hundreds of individuals and companies who have contributed to this milestone. Your support has made all the difference in molding our industry’s future leadership. CGAEF is proud to support the personal and professional ambitions of hardworking grocery employees.

CGAEF scholarships are open to high school seniors, college undergraduate and graduate students who are employees of, or the dependent sons or daughters of employees of, a CGA member company. For more information on the CGAEF scholarship program, click here.

The New Food Frontier: California Grocer Magazine

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How Will GLP-1 Drugs Impact the Grocery Industry?

According to recent projections from FMI, nearly a third of U.S. consumers could begin using GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, reshaping the food landscape as we know it. In the latest issue of California Grocer magazine, CGA explores what’s in store for “The New Food Frontier” amid the rise of GLP-1 drugs and health-conscious consumers.

This issue takes a holistic view of health and wellness to unpack implications for the grocery industry and consumers. In a state that drives national standards, Tim Townsend delves into California food safety laws that shape the grocery industry beyond the state’s borders. As inflation strains shoppers’ wallets, our “Consumer Financial Health Report” projects what lies ahead for grocery spending and prices. Spend “15 Minutes With” Julie Chapon, co-founder of Yuka, an app that analyzes products for impacts on health and the environment. Nutritionist and wellness expert Katie Bressack discusses the grocery store as a destination for personalized wellness, and Kevin Coupe muses about the wellness paradox.

Don’t miss the following must-read sections from Issue 2:

  • GLP-1 Drugs and the Rise of Health-Conscious Consumers
    • Pg 16 | Michele Fuller
  • The California Consumers’ Financial Health
    • Pg 26 | Nate Rose
  • The California Health Laws that Shape the Landscape for Grocers
    • Pg 22 | Tim Townsend
  • The Wellness Paradox
    • Pg 8 | Kevin Coupe

Grocery Store Leaders Grow Their Skills

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CGA Store Leader Training Seminars

Grocery store leaders from across the state sharpened their leadership skills with CGA and the CGA Educational Foundation at our Store Leader Training Seminars in Costa Mesa and Concord, California.

These one-day seminars are customized for store-level supervisors interested in growing their management skills and developing their careers. The agenda offered a blend of inspiring keynote presentations and hands-on, retail-specific training that provided the inspiration, practical tips, and relevant examples to develop leadership acumen and techniques to succeed with today’s employees.

Keynote speaker Steve Black enlightened store leaders with his signature “5 Rules” to unlock your team’s potential and transform culture in the workplace. Special guest Dave Davlin shared his ingredients for developing a purpose-driven mentality for work and life.

Check out event photos below.

CGA Store Leader Training Seminars

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Empower Your Store Leaders

Help your store leaders unlock the next level of leadership. CGA and the CGA Educational Foundation are hosting one-day Store Leader Training Seminars in Northern and Southern California this summer to enable your team’s growth and professional development. Our seminars are an affordable way to build effective leaders who empower their teams and excel in service. 

What to Expect

Grocery veteran and leadership expert Steve Black will share his signature 5 Rules to unlock your team’s potential and transform culture in the workplace. Special guest Dave Davlin will discuss three essential ingredients for developing a purpose-driven mentality to achieve a fulfilling career and balanced life. Learn more about our speakers below.

Who Should Attend

  • Store Directors
  • Assistant Directors
  • Department Managers

Seminar Dates

Southern California

  • Tuesday, July 23, 2024
  • Hilton Costa Mesa

Northern California

  • Thursday, July 25, 2024
  • Hilton Concord

Independent Grocers Practice Their Swing ⛳️

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The independent grocery community soaked up the sun and connected on the golf course at the 2024 Independent Grocers Golf Tournament on June 5 in Rohnert Park, CA.

This annual tournament allows independent grocers, wholesalers, and suppliers to network while practicing their swing for a productive day of golf, sampling product from sponsors, and strengthening business relationships. After a day of play, attendees gathered back at the clubhouse for a raffle and silent auction. Grand Prize winner Darin Austin took home a week’s stay in Mexico.

CGA thanks our 2024 sponsors for supporting the event, and our attendees for spending their day with us! Check out our winners and event photos below.

First Place:

Elliot Stone

Aaron Stone

Sean Corey

Don Moresco

Second Place:

Dennis Albrecht

Jeremy Markus

Bennie Tiappon

Tim Albrecht

Longest Drive:

Darin Austin

Hayley Miller

Grand Prize Winner:

Darin Austin

Workplace Violence Prevention Webinar

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SB 553 Compliance

Wednesday, May 1 | 10:00 – 11:30 am

The State of California recently enacted a Workplace Violence Prevention Law (SB 553) which creates onerous requirements for nearly every California employer. By July 1, employers must establish, implement and maintain an effective written Workplace Violence Prevention Plan to be enforced by Cal OSHA. Additionally, employers must train their workforce about the company’s prevention strategies.

During CGA Educational Foundation’s upcoming webinar, CalOSHA experts Rachel Conn and Andrea Chavez of Conn Maciel Carey LLP will provide an in-depth overview of the requirements of the law and practical implementation advice including:

  • Workplace violence definitions and types
  • Elements of a written workplace violence prevention plan
  • Employee training obligations
  • Recordkeeping requirements including details on maintaining a violent incidents log

Presenters: Rachel Conn and Andrea Chavez, Conn Maciel Carey LLP

Join us on Wednesday, May 1 from 10:00 – 11:30 am PST for this presentation.

Free for CGA members | $75 for non-members.

CGA Sponsors Food Access Bill

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Through year-round advocacy at the State Capitol, CGA works to ensure that grocers and their local communities thrive in California. With more than 11 million Californians residing in food deserts according to recent USDA data, CGA is supporting a legislative effort to expand food access and help bring grocery stores to food insecure areas.

CGA is sponsoring The Food Desert Elimination Act (SB 1419) in collaboration with Senator Rubio, which seeks to provide financial assistance to grocery stores operators who wish to establish a store within a delineated food desert or areas at risk of becoming food deserts.

You can help the effort by urging your legislators to support The Food Desert Elimination Act. To take action, click here to submit a letter to your elected officials in support of SB 1419— it takes less than 60 seconds. Stand with California’s grocery community in calling for new incentives for grocers to expand food access across the state!

Grocers Advocate at the State Capitol

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Grocery retailers and suppliers traveled to Sacramento in early April for CGA’s Grocers Day at the Capitol event to advocate on behalf of California’s grocery industry.

Grocers met with lawmakers and staff to educate them on the grocery industry’s most pressing issues and speak to their firsthand experience running a business in California. While the day’s top priority was sharing the impacts of retail theft on stores and communities, grocers also asked for legislators’ support on two food access bills, and asked for opposition on harmful self-checkout and store closure bills that would negatively impact stores and customers.

In addition to legislative meetings, attendees were joined by guest speakers from the Capitol community. Journalist Laurel Rosenthal, Sacramento bureau chief for the Los Angeles Times, joined us to share her insights on the legislative landscape and takeaways from the March primary election. Members of the Assembly Public Safety Committee Asm. Rick Chavez Zbur and Asm. Juan Alanis joined us for a candid fireside chat around retail theft.

This year’s event also featured the inaugural Legislative Bagging Competition with Senate Candidate Christopher CabaldonAsm. Greg Wallis, and Asm. Tom Lackey, judged by our friends at Nugget Markets. Our day of advocacy wrapped up with a President’s Reception back at CGA Headquarters to mix and mingle with lawmakers and members of the Capitol community.

Thank you to all who joined us for a productive advocacy day! Check out event photos below.

Leadership Through Community

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It has been a very busy few months since I became chair of the California Grocers Association.

Let me start by saying how proud I am to serve this Association in a leadership role. I do not take this position lightly and vow to do my best in representing retailers and suppliers in this industry that we all love.

In my first official duty as Chair last December, I testified in front of the Little Hoover Commission to share the grocery perspective on retail theft on behalf of CGA and its members. Tasked by the Legislature to conduct research and report back with a policy recommendation on retail theft, this was the second in a series of retail theft hearings to help the commission complete its report. This was quite the experience, and I encourage you to watch the segment online if you haven’t already.

Chair of the Commission Pedro Nava stated in one of the hearings that the witness testifying should consider it a compliment if you are interrupted with questions from commissioners. My testimony, which was slated to take 10 minutes tops, ran almost a full hour. Their interest was an indication of the greater momentum around finding a solution to retail theft in the Legislature and Capitol. While I was happy with the level of engagement from commissioners, I was also surprised by the tone of the questions and their expectations. We learned that they are data-starved, and we as an industry need to do a better job in reporting all incidents to law enforcement and tracking the number of incidents occurring in our locations along with the dollar value of each incident.

To help tackle this need, CGA has created a Retail Theft Committee to gather data from members that we can share with the Legislature to demonstrate the severe impacts of retail theft. We’re hopeful that our efforts will lead to some change in legislation to positively help our industry. I look forward to working closely on this issue with CGA and members throughout the year.

In January, I took a break to attend the Independent Operators Symposium on the Big Island in Hawaii. This was such a special time to spend with members of the Association who represent independent stores and family businesses. It was a beautiful setting for the perfect dose of education mixed in with a whole lot of fun.

We had the pleasure of welcoming a warm friend and colleague to the industry for a special session, Leslie Sarasin from FMI. In her session, Leslie discussed state politics and the issues she and her team are battling in Washington on behalf of the industry.

We also heard from Steve Black on the “5 Rules” for Transforming your Culture for Yourself, Your Team, and Your Family. This was my favorite educational session as it provided me with confirmation that you can and should be a kind and compassionate leader while still expecting successful results from your teams. Be sure to read Steve’s leadership piece later in this issue.

Steve brought wristbands for everyone to take back to their teams with the 5 Rules printed on them and I was excited to share them and what I learned during our weekly team meeting.

The wristband is a quick reminder for us to follow the rules:

Do Your Job,
Be Kind,
No Surprises,
No Drama, and Protect The Brand.

As we celebrate industry leadership in this issue and consider what it means to be a leader in grocery, this is sage advice that we can all benefit from.