Dive Brief:
- Ahold Delhaize USA announced Wednesday that it hosted its first-ever supplier summit in mid-May.
- During the two-day event, the company brought together ADUSA executives, chief merchants and chief marketing leaders of its five banners, and representatives from top supplier partners to discuss growing partnerships.
- ADUSA joins a slew of regional grocers that host supplier-focused events to grow and diversify their assortments.
Dive Insight:
ADUSA’s inaugural supplier summit, held on May 19-20 in Charlotte, North Carolina, focused on discussing ways to scale supplier partnerships through retail media and agentic commerce as well as health and sustainability, according to the press release.
“By coming together in this way, we were able to create a dialogue on the approaches and mindset needed to partner effectively so that, together, we can unlock what’s next for our businesses and for customers,” ADUSA Chief Commercial and Digital Officer Keith Nicks said in a statement.
The grocer is looking to retail media and agentic commerce to better connect brands and shoppers both in-store and online, starting with its proprietary retail media ad platform. ADUSA said it showcased how its platform provides “more personalized, relevant experiences across the omnichannel journey” and also underscored how customer-centric approaches lead to shared value for suppliers and shoppers.
The grocer’s health and sustainability growth plans centered on collaborations between suppliers and retailers “to build resilience across the value chain,” per the announcement. The grocery company introduced its new tool for product carbon footprinting, which can stretch across Ahold Delhaize’s global brand portfolio and improve supplier collaboration. Attendees also learned about ADUSA’s 20-year-old Guiding Stars nutrition guidance program.
Fellow regional grocers have long turned to supplier summits and similar events to broaden supplier partnerships. Hy-Vee, for example, hosts a Supplier Impact Summit Series to link up with small businesses. The Midwest Grocer hosts a two-day virtual summit in March and an in-person flagship event at its headquarters in September. At both events, Hy-Vee offers one-on-one meetings with category managers, education sessions and the chance for businesses to receive “on-the-spot item approval and next-step discussion,” according to the grocer’s website.
Last fall, Wakefern held a supplier summit focused on finding suppliers that produce wellness-focused foods, beverages and products and awarded winners of its pitch competition a minimum one-year product placement at select ShopRite stores.
H-E-B is preparing to host its Supplier Diversity Opportunity Exchange in October. The free virtual event focuses on helping small businesses become retail-ready for a large retailer.
