ARLINGTON, VA – Sam Walton said, “There is only one boss. The customer – and he can fire everybody in the company from the chairman on down, simply by spending his money somewhere else.” It’s humbling, which is why companies spend hundreds of millions of dollars each year trying to convince consumers to spend money with them – to keep the lights on and the doors open.
But all the money in the world spent on advertising, marketing, and even packaging won’t make a bit of difference if you don’t understand what consumers actually want. Understanding how consumers are behaving, and how technology is causing seismic shifts in consumer behavior, is paramount to commercial success.
Building on last year’s wildly popular session, “The Future of Retail,” USA Rice has added a can’t miss session to this year’s Outlook Conference that will look at grocery shopper trends.
In “Customers Also Viewed This: Unpacking Consumer Retail Behavior,” David Fikes, vice president, communications and consumer/community affairs for the Food Marketing Institute (FMI), will present the results of FMI’s 2019
U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends that builds on more than four decades of research into customer attitudes and practices.
“Before you can market well, you need to understand,” said Fikes. “Consumer approaches to shopping and food are constantly shifting, and our research identifies those changing expectations, so the food industry can more effectively address shoppers’ concerns, dietary needs, and appetites.”
Fikes’ fast moving session will take a deep dive into customer personalization and consumer expectations on food safety, sustainability, ingredients, and values.
If you’re in the business of food, or a consumer of food – and you are – this session is for you!
The USA Rice Outlook Conference is the largest rice specific event in North America. The 2019 Conference will take place from December 8-10 at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock, Arkansas. Check
here for updates.