WASHINGTON — For the first time, the Food Industry Association (FMI) is introducing its effective Trading Partner Meeting format to the supply chain sector with the launch of the Supply Chain Exchange. This new initiative will debut at the FMI Supply Chain Forum, scheduled for September 15–17, 2025, in St. Louis.
The new format will offer curated, one-on-one meetings between retailers, suppliers, and service providers, matched based on shared business challenges, from logistics and transportation to technology and workforce solutions. The initiative aims to move beyond casual networking by creating focused conversations that drive tangible outcomes.
Doug Baker, FMI’s VP of Industry Relations, says in a post on the FMI Voice of Food Industry blog that the idea stems from years of success with similar formats at other FMI events. “We know it works because we've seen it thrive at other events. Retailers walk out of these meetings with new partners and solutions without the endless scrolling and effort it takes to find on their own. And suppliers? They get time with decision-makers who can immediately act on or influence opportunities. No booths. No elevator pitch. Just focused conversations to solve real problems and explore new possibilities.”
FMI emphasizes that this isn’t your typical networking setup. No booths, no pitches, just strategic pairings between decision-makers who can influence or act on opportunities. The format has already earned high praise from participants in other FMI-hosted B2B programs.
Parker Gabriel, Asset Protection Assistant Director at Festival Foods, described the Trading Partner Meetings at the 2025 Asset Protection & Grocery Resilience Conference as a “rare and valuable opportunity to build real partnerships that drive innovation and resilience. These conversations go beyond networking — they create momentum for the solutions our businesses and guests rely on.”
Daniel Sluss of SharpVue praised the value of the FMI B2b meetings. “Having experience as both a retailer and a vendor, I truly understand the tremendous value that FMI B2B meetings bring. [...] It is an excellent opportunity to discover new products and gain deeper insight into how a solution can align with and enhance your business model. [...] B2B meetings create a powerful connection point that benefits everyone involved.”
With demand rising for collaborative supply chain innovation, the new Supply Chain Exchange is shaping up to be a can’t-miss feature of the 2025 Supply Chain Forum.
