16 • September | October 2026 • abasto.com Snapshot of an Industry Reinventing Itself Amid Volatility BY ABASTO T he Food Industry Association (FMI) published The Food Retailing Industry Speaks 2026 report, analyzing how the industry and individual companies are navigating today’s environment. The research examines developments from 2025 alongside the outlook for 2026. Here are five core industry strate- gies, details on how each is unfolding, and innovative actions being deployed across the sector. FMI SPEAKS 2026 Five Key Strategies for Success 1 Navigating a Volatile Macroeco- nomic Landscape: The industry is tackling inflation, geopolitical pres- sures, shrink, and theft by investing in supply chain operations, asset protection, trading partner collabo- ration, and advocacy to mitigate re- gulatory hurdles. 2 Meeting Consumer Needs: Com- panies are implementing strate- gies to elevate shopper engagement, support local communities, expand private labels, strengthen the Su- pplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and promote family meals. 3 Optimizing the Shopper Expe- rience: Retailers are prioritizing refined omnichannel execution, sto- re-level and customer service enhan- cements, premium fresh offerings, local product assortments, and dis- tinct approaches to product and ser- vice differentiation. 4 Leveraging Technology to Drive Progress: Businesses are adop- ting practical tech solutions and tes- ting new applications to achieve goals ranging from enhancing customer experience to improving operational efficiency. 5 Strengthening Business Resi- lience: Companies are deploying creative strategies to fortify their workforce, withstand growing market competition, boost productivity, and improve financial performance. • Continues on page 18 Americas Food and Beverage Special Insert