ECRM announces fall, virtual Global Market
On the heels of its 2021 Global Market: Food and Beverage virtual event held in June, ECRM has already set a date for another event — this time with a wider scope. ECRM’s 2021 Global Market: Fall Experience is set for Oct. 18 to 22, focused on bringing together suppliers and retail buyers.
The company said more than 2,000 buyers from 53 countries participated in the June event, with nearly 1,500 meetings held via its ECRM Connect platform.
During the event, Dan Ochwat, executive editor of Store Brands, moderated a panel on what buyers are looking for from private label suppliers, featuring retailer leaders at Bashas, Boxed, Southeastern Grocers and Wakefern Food.
"If the success and scale of 2021 Global Market: Food & Beverage told us anything, it was that this is exactly what the industry has been waiting for," said Greg Farrar, CEO of ECRM. "We're now opening up the Global Market to include dozens of categories, on technology built for retail, foodservice and CPG buyers and sellers."
The 2021 Global Market: Fall Experience event will combine the product discovery capabilities of its RangeMe platform with the virtual meeting experience of ECRM Connect. Starting Aug. 23, buyers will be able to find products within their categories and identify companies they want to meet with virtually, allowing suppliers to choose a time for a meeting on the buyer’s calendar. All scheduled meetings take place From Oct. 18 to 22, running 24 hours a day to accommodate global participants.
"The Global Market: Food & Beverage was a huge win for our company," said John Terry, co-founder of ketogenic baked goods maker Ketonia Foods. "The thought leadership sessions were incredible and provided insights that we put to immediate use in our buyer meetings. We had multiple awesome conversations with retailers during the week and are working on the logistics of some deals from those meetings right now. I'm looking forward to the next Global Market in the fall."
Besides the opportunity to meet, the event will also offer a lineup of content, including a fireside chat with “Shark Tank” investor Kevin O’Leary and keynotes delivered by WASL Strategic Retail’s Wendy Liebmann, as well as as executives from Ahold Delhaize USA, Petco and Facebook. The event will also feature retailer panel discussions and workshops, ECRM said.
"ECRM's 2021 Global Market: Fall Experience is the latest iteration of ECRM's continuing innovation in connecting buyers and sellers," said Scott Emerson, president of The Emerson Group, the event’s platinum sponsor. "We're thrilled to support this exciting new platform, and the high level of thought leadership content that will be delivered to participants."
Registration is open now and runs through Sept. 26. To learn more and register, click here.