Organization to open membership
across food-away-from-home industry segments
Scottsdale, November 7, 2023 — IFMA reviewed its new
long-range plan today during the association’s 2023 Presidents
Conference in Scottsdale, AZ. The plan, titled Level Up
2027, contains some notable changes to the group’s
membership policy and promises benefit updates to match.
“For over 70 years, IFMA has focused on the manufacturing community.
We are proud of that legacy and continue to view manufacturers
as the heart of all that we do,” said Phil Kafarakis, IFMA
President and CEO. “Going forward, IFMA will be the place where
everyone in our industry can come together. To do that, we’re
going to walk the talk and open up our membership ranks.”
IFMA is making changes in response to recent and profound evolution
in the business landscape. Food-away-from-home, along with other
large industries worldwide, went through the most norm-rocking
global event since World War II – the COVID-19 pandemic – and
came through it transformed. Challenges with the supply chain,
labor, delivery, customer shut-downs, and more, drove innovation
and greater risk-taking as food-away-from-home pivoted to meet
customer demands.
IFMA examined the new business landscape and several insights helped
shape its new plan:
- Food-away-from-home spending increased from $1.16 trillion
in 2021 to $1.34 trillion in 2022 and accounted for 56
percent of total food expenditures. It is a big, big
business.
- Many companies within the ecosystem need help translating
data and research into actionable insights and best
practices.
- Traditional industry segments feel siloed, and there isn’t a
common “home” to discuss common challenges and concerns.
- Retail and foodservice continue to converge, and the
food-away-from-home industry requires greater
collaboration.
- The industry would benefit from more than just additional
channels to share information, it needs a neutral place
to make new connections and take cross-industry action.
Starting in January 2024, IFMA will expand its membership from two
industry categories to four. Currently only food manufacturers
and service providers that sell specific services to them can
become IFMA members. Beginning in January 2024, foodservice
operators and those in the supply chain will also qualify for
membership. All membership categories will receive specific
benefits tailored to their businesses. Most will be able to
“level up” their membership through tiers offered within
categories.
“IFMA will address the need for the larger food-away-from-home
community to have neutral, collaborative gatherings,” said
Kafarakis. “We will be a coming-together place where trading
partners can form true partnerships – because solutions to one’s
problems can often be found in another’s best practices.
Collectively, we will ensure that we can overcome challenges
that threaten our ecosystem’s success.”
See IFMA’s Level
Up 2027 plan now
>>