Blogs

Pat Sheridan, INFRA President & CEO

Both spring and autumn have been referred to as “the season of change,” but they are very different kinds of change. Spring is about seeing new opportunities, clearing out the cobwebs of winter, and revving up our engines to prepare for energy to come. It’s this change that we celebrate in this edition of the Real Deal. 

I invite you to read about and welcome our new Board Member, Emily Chase of Chase’s Market, and the latest members to join the INFRA community. We continue to grow, both in evolving leadership and in our membership. 

Then, take a moment to join me in celebrating Danelle Rydel’s Top Women in Grocery Award from Progressive Grocer. Danelle’s hard work on behalf of members over the past seven-plus years has been recognized consistently within our organization and I’m proud to see the importance of her work recognized by our industry. And what a well-deserved recognition it is! 

Switch gears and welcome back one of our four founding INFRA members, Earth Fare. After a multiyear journey under a different ownership structure, Earth Fare returned to their independent roots and has rejoined the INFRA community. Their strong desire to collaborate with other independents in positively impacting food systems and local communities is perfectly aligned with INFRA’s vision. 

This season promises new opportunities as we rev up our engines for the annual conference. Yes, the INFRA Annual Conference is upon us once again. This July, we’ll celebrate our community with the largest event that INFRA has hosted yet. Our speakers and sessions promise to leave you more knowledgeable, and our tabletop deals more profitable. Best of all, your time with other members will leave you energized with new friends and inspiration to bring back to your store.  

I look forward to welcoming you to St. Paul!