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More than 1,200 food executives attend 15th annual gathering
METRO/A&P CANADA SENT 66 executives to the Canadian Council of Grocery Distributor's (CCGD) 15th annual Ontario Conference at the Toronto Congress Centre in November. The Loblaw family of companies was represented by 61 executives, while the Sobeys Inc. contingent numbered 56. On the supplier side, the numbers were equally as impressive: Cadbury Adams Canada and Cadbury Schweppes Americas Beverages had 26 delegates, General Mills Canada Corp. had 34, and 18 Kraft Canada Inc. executives attended the annual gathering. According to CCGD, more than 1,200 food and supermarket executives attended what has become Canada's largest grocery industry gathering.
In attendance were senior managers such as: Alain Brisebois, executive vice-president, A&P Canada; Mark Foote, president and chief merchandising officer, Loblaw Cos. Ltd.; Craig Gilpin, president, operations, Sobeys Ontario. Also present were David Jeffs, John Tavolieri, Rino Cramarossa and Tim Lalach from Loblaw; Michael Forgione (conference committee chairman), Rob James and Ken Keelor from Sobeys Inc.; André Gagné, Tony Morello, Paul Del Duca and Richard Currie from Metro/A&P.
In his opening address, Forgione said the conference's passion to provide real value, had made it the "best one-day conference in the industry."
Suppliers from across the country had come, as in previous years, to hear about the strategies of the three major supermarket chains and "how to execute business with them," said Nick Jennery, president and CEO, CCGD.
After reviewing the highlights of his associations activities (a shortage of a qualified labour force, changes to replacement worker rules, the impact of high-profile food recalls, Workplace Safety and Insurance Board payments, the price of compliance to various rules and the general costs of doing business), Jennery said the industry's mood is a mix of optimism and controlled sense of anxiety. Despite the challenges, the industry is determined to be proactive, said the head of CCGD.
The industry's optimism is helping it to "apply energy to technology, try new formats and new products," said Jennery, pointing out that a record 190 products had been submitted to the 2005-2006 Grand Prix Awards organized by CCGD.
David Wilkes, senior vice-president, CCGD, updated the audience on supply chain opportunities and the industry's collaborative approach to RFID. He said that the results of the...