WASHINGTON, D.C. During the American Bakers Association 2014 Convention in Scottsdale, Ariz., the March 17 Morning Business Sessions will feature an enlightening and provocative session entitled “The Innovation Conversation.” Guided by Tom Furphy, a retail and ecommerce expert, and Kevin Coupe, author and “Content Guy” for MorningNewsBeat.com, this interactive journey will engage the ABA convention attendees in a dialogue about where traditional retailing is heading, what can be learned from e-commerce successes and failures, how to compete in the new environment, and how to understand the new consumer.
After breaking into retail through various senior management roles at Wegmans Food Markets, Furphy is now CEO and Managing Director of Consumer Equity Partners, a venture capital and venture development firm building companies that will drive the next generation of consumer marketing and commerce. Prior to CEP, he was at Amazon.com as Vice President, Consumables and AmazonFresh, where he was responsible for the company’s Grocery, Gourmet Food, Health & Beauty, Prestige Beauty and AmazonFresh businesses.
Coupe is the co-author of THE BIG PICTURE: Essential Business Lessons from the Movies, which uses movies ranging from “The Godfather” to “Young Frankenstein” to illustrate tenets of leadership, the importance of marketing and branding, and how to survive in the workplace. For more than 12 years, he has had his own website/blog – www.MorningNewsBeat.com – providing what he calls “business news in context, and analysis with attitude” to more than 27,000 subscribers all over the world. An independent survey recently ranked MNB as the “top industry news and information site.”
Combining their years of experience in retail and business, Furphy and Coupe will offer the convention attendees a lively conversation with an examination of the implications for fresh foods as e-grocery gains traction with the consumer and the online business strategies that will compete most effectively in this environment. The conversation will also address the essence of the Amazon Fresh business model, its competitive advantages and potential shortcomings.
The 2014 ABA Convention is the premier annual gathering of the industry’s top leaders — bakers, retailers, suppliers and partner organizations. Bringing together hundreds of these individuals, the 2014 Convention will focus on how innovation is shaping the industry’s future. Registration is now open! More information may be found at www.americanbakers.org
About the American Bakers Association:
The American Bakers Association (ABA) is the Washington D.C.-based voice of the wholesale baking industry. Since 1897, ABA has represented the interests of bakers before the U.S. Congress, federal agencies, and international regulatory authorities. ABA advocates on behalf of more than 700 baking facilities and baking company suppliers. ABA members produce bread, rolls, crackers, bagels, sweet goods, tortillas and many other wholesome, nutritious, baked products for America’s families. The baking industry generates more than $102 billion in economic activity annually and employs more than 633,000 highly skilled people.
Source: American Bakers Association
