Convenience stores are one of the fastest growing food segments, with foodservice (prepared food, commissary, hot, cold and frozen dispensed beverages) representing nearly 27% of inside sales in 2023, according to NACS State of the Industry data.
With more labor intensive and sophisticated foodservice programs being developed and executed within our industry, food safety is not an option—it’s an imperative. It's also important to make sure your teams have a solid foundation in the whys behind your company's food safety procedures and protocols.
The NACS Food Safety Forum is developed and administered by convenience industry food safety, foodservice, quality assurance and risk management leaders. This is the only retail-focused event of its kind for the global convenience community.
Content focuses on four principles:
- Consumer safety
- Clean and quality experiences
- Protecting our brands
- Empowering our teams to do the right thing
Participants will become more engaged and empowered to:
- Recognize how certain behaviors can enhance and protect their teams, customers and brand.
- Lead collaborative solutions that address safe food handling challenges.
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Updated as of May 1, 2024; content subject to change.
8:00–8:05 am
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Welcome
Dr. Jay Ellingson, Chief Scientific Officer, Kwik Trip Inc.
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8:05–8:35 am
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State of Foodservice in Convenience
In 2023, convenience foodservice sales—prepared food, commissary, and hot, cold and frozen dispensed beverages—were responsible for more than one in every four dollars spent inside the store (26.9%) and more than one in three in-store profit dollars. Hear how foodservice is performing in 2024 as we set the stage for this fast-growing category with the latest NACS State of the Industry data.
Chris Rapanick, Managing Director, NACS Research
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8:35–9:50 am
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Testing Your Temperature Monitoring, Cleaning and Sanitation IQ
This interactive session will test your food safety knowledge—from holding temps to equipment cleanliness—and deliver solutions that move safe food handling practices, behaviors and procedures in the right direction.
David McIntyre, Senior Health and Safety Specialist, EG Group
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9:50–10:00 am
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Networking Break
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10:00–11:00 am
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Top Food Safety Risk Factors
We’re breaking down the whys behind the top 5 food safety risk factors so that your teams are well-equipped to prepare, store and sell safe food for your customers.
Sarah Friedrich, Food Protection Analyst 2, Kwik Trip Inc.
Beth Hoffer, Vice President, Foodservice, Weigel's
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11:00–12:00 pm
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Solutions for Protecting Public Health Panel
This interactive discussion features two public health experts who are now working in the convenience industry. They will share why having relationships with your state and local health departments should be a priority for your foodservice program.
Melanie Harris, Manager, Food Safety Retail, Casey’s
Corrin Howard, Senior Regulatory Compliance Supervisor, Wawa
Moderator: Jeremy Zenlea, Vice President Health and Safety, EG America
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12:00 pm
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Closing Remarks/Adjourn
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For three decades Detwiler has played a unique role in preventing foodborne illness. He has twice been appointed to advisory positions to the USDA’s Secretary of Agriculture, represented consumers with NGOs, served on Conference for Food Protection councils, and supported the FDA’s implementation of FSMA. Detwiler is the current chairman of NEHA’s Food Safety Program Committee. He is a recipient of IAFP’s 2022 Control of Foodborne Illness Award as well as IAFP’s 2018 Distinguished Service Award.
Show Bio
Ellingson has been with La Crosse, Wisconsin-based Kwik Trip Inc. for nearly two decades and leads the food safety sciences behind the company’s food protection system. In 1995, he received his Ph.D. in molecular microbiology from Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He did his postdoctoral fellowship training was with the USDA, Agriculture Research Service, National Animal Disease Center in Ames, Iowa, where he developed and patented a molecular diagnostic method for the detection of Johne’s disease in dairy cattle. As the director of Marshfield Clinic Laboratories–Food Safety Services in Marshfield, Wisconsin, Ellingson developed and patented a molecular diagnostic method for detection of E. coli 0157:H7. He is an adjunct professor in the Microbiology Department of the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and has mentored and graduated several Masters of Science students in the Microbiology program.
Wilson has been an associate of Wawa Inc. for nearly two decades and has been the director of quality assurance, risk management and safety for more than a decade. Prior to her current role, she served in different management positions within risk management and human resources. In addition to her role today, Wilson is a member of the Food Policy Leadership group at Wawa and helps facilitate the company’s external Food Policy Council. She also sits on many internal committees to support Wawa’s strategic plan and vision; act as a servant leader within the company and provide guidance and direction in her areas of expertise. She helped lead the COVID-19 Crisis Team and work for Wawa. Outside She is a member of Risk and Insurance Management Society, Philadelphia Area Risk Managers Association and president of the Philadelphia Chapter of Central Atlantic Association of Food and Drug Officials.
Show Bio
Zenlea oversees all aspects of food safety at EG America, including international and domestic regulatory compliance, retail and commissary food safety operations, and supply chain integrity. He has worked with a variety of different product categories, including refrigerated, high-risk ready-to-eat foods (meat, poultry, pork, and fresh-cut produce), chocolate and confectioneries. He is an expert in constructing, implementing and managing complex food safety, food fraud and food defense systems for large domestic and international food manufacturers. He is also a lecturer at Northeastern University and received a B.Sc. from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and an MBA from Northeastern University.
2024 Pricing:
- $329 for NACS retail members
- $658 for retail non-members
- $499 for NACS supplier member companies
- $2,500 for supplier non-member companies
If you are not a retailer or supplier, but are interested in attending, please reach out to Chrissy Blasinsky at cblasinsky@convenience.org for next steps.
Registration for the NACS Food Safety Forum is open. Reserve your seat today!
Register Now
The 2024 NACS Food Safety Forum is co-located with the 2024 NACS Show in Las Vegas. If you are also attending the NACS Show, please register for the NACS Show after you complete your registration for the Food Safety Forum.
Complete the form below to be notified when 2024 event information is available.