2017Issue6_Alabama_v9.indd

PRESIDENT’ S MESSAGE

S tand i ng S t r ong i n an E v e r - chang i ng E nv i r ONme n t

ELLIE SMOTHERMAN TAYLOR PRESIDENT ALABAMA GROCERS ASSOCIATION

WHILE SOME STATE GROCERY ASSOCIATIONS ARE MERGING WITH RELATED ORGANIZATIONS IT'S IMPORTANT WE ALL CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER AS ONE VOICE.

suppliers are retaining their membership only in GMA, but not the state food association. This does two things. First, it dilutes support for addressing the growing list of food-specific issues in the state, making the food industry vulnerable. It also raises the chance of an industry split on important issues like alcohol sales if multiple companies have individual state lobbyists, but not an association working to achieve consensus. Nothing is more disconcerting, than an industry split on controversial issues. The challenge to the food industry is clear – to succeed in winning the issues that are important to the retailer/grocery industry, we must work together, cohesively with one voice. I am very proud to say that the Alabama Grocers Association is 350 individual company members strong and financially sound. 2017 was a record breaking year for both membership and the convention and we continue to be the voice of the grocery industry in Alabama. Thank you for your constant support and the ability to serve as your President.

Last month I had the great privilege of speaking before the Food Marketing Institute Board of Directors on behalf of the Food Industry Association Executives (FIAE) which represents 47 state associations and a U.S. Territory to emphasize the importance of state association work on their behalf. I know I am preaching to the choir among our members, but I thought it might be good to reiterate some of the comments I made to them. Our business is a dynamic and changing industry. Alabama's first EBT transaction was on Feb. 26, 1997. It was the first state in the Southeastern Alliance of States to change to EBT. At that time, Bruno’s Supermarkets, Delchamps Supermarkets, and Winn Dixie held the largest market share in Alabama. Publix had three stores and Walmart had 37 stores. SNAP EBT lead to the introduction of credit card processing in the market as most transactions before that time were done by checks and cash in grocery stores. Today’s market looks dramatically different and now we will

again be the first in the Southeast to pilot online SNAP. Today we are seeing a shift in consumer buying habits and our industry shifting towards online purchasing through methods of online delivery and click and collect. We all know that with any major industry shift comes extreme legislative challenges. Whether it be the ability to buy alcohol through an online purchasing system, data privacy issues, GMOs, preemption legislation, soft drink and other food taxes, labor issues, minimum wage, etc. There are countless issues that affect our industry directly. And when activists’ groups find they cannot achieve their goals nationally, they head for the states. Nationally, we are seeing an eroding of state association support and many grocery associations finding themselves combining with a state retail association or a business association like the Chamber. Some combined food/retail associations have maintained a strong food-focused leadership, but others have not. Some

| ALABAMA GROCER 6