Grocery Manufacturers Association rebrands as Consumer Brands Association

Out with the old in the with new. The Grocery Manufacturers Association on Tuesday announced that it will henceforth be known as the Consumer Brands Association. The new organization reflects a focus on product affordability, access and innovation, eliminating consumer confusion, and solving larger marketplace problems, the organization said. 

“The Consumer Brands Association is an entirely new organization with a focused, compelling agenda that establishes the industry as a champion of the billions of consumers it serves daily,” said Geoff Freeman, president and CEO of the Arlington, Va.-based Consumer Brands Association. “We are on the path to providing the CPG industry with a platform and results unlike anything it has previously experienced.”

Alongside the Consumer Brands Association’s debut, the organization has released its inaugural Industry View 2020 report, which looks at trends driving industry decision-making. Per the survey, 86% of CPG executives said consumer expectations are the most influential force in the industry currently. Additionally, the top concern among executives is compliance with various and varying state regulations. 

“Today’s business and policy environment requires a strong, strategically aligned industry organization guided by a consumer-first mindset,” said Jeff Harmening, chairman of the board and CEO of General Mills and chairman of the Consumer Brands Association. “Our industry has evolved considerably in recent years and the Consumer Brands Association will be a vital reflection of our united interests and alignment with today’s consumer.”

The organization noted that the CPG industry supports 20.4 million jobs, and is the largest manufacturing employer in the United States, generating $1.1 trillion in labor income. It also said Americans use roughly 42 CPG products every day. 

“Few industries impact every household across the country. It’s our job to harness that reach to drive positive change — both for our members and for the millions of American families they serve every day,” Freeman said.