Today, McLane Company, Inc., one of the largest distributors in America and an industry-leading partner to the biggest retail and restaurant brands, kicks off McLane Engage, its annual trade show and conference in Nashville, Tenn., with a refreshed format and product announcements.Keynote speaker Padma Lakshmi, acclaimed food expert and “Top Chef” personality, will join Farley Kaiser, McLane’s senior director of culinary innovation, for a conversation exploring Lakshmi’s career journey, personal reflections and cultural influences while underscoring the importance of culinary expertise and innovation on the future of retail foodservice.
Exhibitor space at this year’s event reached capacity, with exhibitors like Hershey, Kraft Heinz and Mars Wrigley showcasing a broad range of products. Emerging Brands, McLane’s digital marketplace, will feature several exhibitors, adding to its roster of over 140 brands and 1,000 products, with recent expansions in health, beauty and wellness and general merchandise categories.
“The diversity of brands and products showcased at this year’s event speaks to the innovation going on within the industry,” said Chris Smith, president of McLane Retail. “We’re committed to staying ahead of industry trends and continually evolving to meet the ever-changing needs of our customers while providing our supplier partners unique opportunities to showcase their latest products and services. We are proud McLane Engage continues to evolve, ensuring we remain a trusted and forward-thinking partner in the industry.”
Attendees can anticipate the unveiling of new McLane Fresh offerings with the launch of Better Case Bakery, a curated on-the-go bakery program featuring top-selling items like donuts, premium cookies and muffins. McLane Fresh will also introduce a seasonal CupZa! pumpkin spice shot, new rack merchandiser and the opportunity to sample all four varieties of Prendisimo pizza: cheese, pepperoni, three-meat and supreme.
McLane’s private label subsidiary, Consumer Value Products, Inc., will introduce four new products from its Beau Dacious line of quality dog accessories and treats: egg and bacon flavor chewy treats, pumpkin cranberry chewy treats, peanut butter biscuit bones and big bone crunchy treats. Beau Dacious features a range of dog accessories, as well as treats made with upcycled ingredients.
The three-day event begins this evening with a two-part educational session. The first session, “Smart Convenience: Embracing AI for the Future of Retail,” features Gray Taylor from Conexxus and Eric Hildenbrand, McLane’s chief strategy officer, covering AI fundamentals and real-world applications. Part two of the session, “Designing for the Future: Trends Shaping Next-Gen Convenience Stores,” featuring Hildenbrand and Joseph Bona, president at Bona Design Lab, explores the latest trends and innovations in convenience store design. The trade show will open with a welcome reception granting attendees the opportunity to connect with partners, make new connections and see the latest trends shaping the industry.
Thursday’s general sessions begin with “Tech-Driven Transformation: Revolutionizing Convenience Retail,” led by Art Sebastian, CEO of NexChapter, Inc., discussing convenience retail trends while presenting a comprehensive technology roadmap and highlighting key areas such as loyalty, e-commerce and retail media networks. The next discussion, “Fresh Ideas, Safe Practices: Innovating and Safeguarding Convenience Store Foodservice,” hosted by Vito Maurici, McLane’s customer experience officer, Terry Levee, senior director of food safety with McLane and Jon Cox, vice president of retail foodservice with McLane, focuses on key aspects of convenience store foodservice, including enhancing customer experience, innovation and food safety compliance. The three-day event wraps up on Friday with a farewell networking breakfast.
McLane offers customizable solutions for retail and restaurant customers, from ordering and fulfillment to equipment and in-store merchandising, aimed at eliminating barriers to entry for smaller retailers and solving logistical challenges for large chains. To learn more about McLane and its retail, restaurant and e-commerce solutions, visit mclaneco.com.