Grocery conferences in 2026 reflect how quickly the grocery industry is changing. Shifts in consumer behavior, supply pressure, pricing expectations, and technology adoption continue to reshape how grocery retailers operate. These conferences are where the food retail industry executives, independent retailers, and solution providers come together to address what is happening now and what comes next.
Across the country and beyond, grocery conferences serve as a meeting point for retailers, wholesalers, suppliers, manufacturers, and service providers working across food, retail, and grocery.
Why Grocery Conferences Matter in an Ever Changing Industry
The grocery industry operates on thin margins and constant motion. New products, e commerce growth, and evolving consumer expectations mean retailers need timely insight, not theory.
Grocery conferences provide direct exposure to industry trends, latest innovations, and new solutions. They create space for honest discussion around key challenges such as labor, human resources, technology investment, and supply coordination across the food industry.
For many grocery retailers and independent grocery professionals, these conferences act as a premier event on the annual calendar.
Who Attends Grocery Conferences
Attendance spans the entire grocery ecosystem.
Grocery conferences attract grocery retailers, independent retailers, and other independent retailers alongside wholesalers, manufacturers, and suppliers. Category managers, buyers, executives, and food producers walk the exhibit hall looking for ideas they can apply immediately.
Attendees often include:
- Grocery retailers and grocers focused on growth and efficiency
- Retailers wholesalers teams managing food distribution
- Independent grocery industry leaders and independent grocery professionals
- Suppliers, vendors, and brands showcasing products and services
This diverse range of roles makes conferences especially valuable for cross functional learning.
Trade Shows, Exhibit Halls, and Product Discovery
The trade show floor remains central to grocery conferences.
Inside the exhibit hall, vendors and suppliers showcase new products, latest products, dairy innovations, and technology designed to support grocery operations. Buyers and category managers use the trade show environment to discover offerings, compare solutions, and meet manufacturers directly.
Trade shows also support networking events where industry colleagues connect outside formal meetings.
Education Sessions and Practical Learning
Education sessions focus on applied knowledge.
Topics often include retail operations, e commerce strategy, pricing, merchandising, and technology adoption. Education sessions and workshops help retailers understand how latest technologies and new innovations fit into real store environments.
Educational opportunities are especially valuable for independent grocery professionals who rely on peer insight and shared experience.
Technology, Innovation, and the Future of Grocery
Technology continues to reshape grocery.
From e commerce platforms to data tools and operational systems, grocery conferences highlight innovations designed to improve speed, accuracy, and customer experience. Latest innovations and new products are evaluated not in isolation, but through the lens of daily grocery operations.
These conversations keep the focus on the future of grocery without losing sight of today’s realities.
Business Growth and Industry Focus
Grocery conferences are business driven by design.
Retailers, wholesalers, and brands attend to evaluate partnerships, assess services, and plan for growth. Executives and buyers use these events to compare strategies, explore solutions, and align teams around shared goals.
The focus stays on practical outcomes, not hype.
Planning Grocery Conferences with Vendelux
With so many grocery conferences and trade events available, choosing where to invest time and budget matters.
Vendelux helps grocery teams identify which conferences attract the right buyers, category managers, and grocery retailers based on real attendee data. Teams can align events with their ideal customer profile and understand which grocery conferences deliver the most relevant audience.
Using Vendelux Meetings, brands, suppliers, and service providers can book meetings in advance with grocery executives, buyers, and independent retailers. This turns the event from passive attendance into a structured opportunity to connect with decision makers.
Networking, Relationships, and Industry Exchange
Networking opportunities remain a major draw.
Grocery conferences create space to build relationships across the industry, from informal conversations on the show floor to structured networking events. These connections often extend beyond the event, supporting long term collaboration and trust.
For many attendees, the ability to network with peers, vendors, and industry leaders is as valuable as the formal agenda.
What to Expect from Grocery Conferences in 2026
Grocery conferences in 2026 continue to evolve with the industry.
They combine education, trade, networking, and product discovery into a focused environment built for food and retail professionals. With better planning, clearer goals, and tools like Vendelux, grocery companies can turn conferences into a reliable source of insight, partnerships, and competitive advantage.
For anyone working across grocery, food, retail, and supply services, these conferences remain one of the most effective ways to learn, connect, and prepare for what the future holds.
Here is a list of the best upcoming Grocery events and conferences for 2026:
- January 2026
- February 2026
- March 2026
- April 2026
- May 2026
- June 2026
- July 2026
- August 2026
- September 2026
- October 2026
- November 2026
- December 2026
January 2026 Grocery Events
NACDS Regional Chain Conference 2026
Jan 18, 2026, Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa | Bonita Springs, United States
A retail and pharmacy-focused gathering for chain operators and partners, built around business meetings, category planning, and industry updates.
View event attendee data
Conexxus Annual Conference 2026
Jan 25, 2026, Live! by Loews | Arlington, United States
A conference for retail technology and standards teams, with sessions on operational tech, payments, data, and collaboration across the convenience and retail ecosystem.
View event attendee data
February 2026 Grocery Events
Orgill Spring Buying Event 2026
Feb 2, 2026, TBA | TBA
A buying-focused event for retailers and suppliers, centered on product discovery, deals, and planning seasonal assortment and inventory.
View event attendee data
Convenience Retailing University 2026
Feb 24, 2026, Marriott Downtown Austin | Austin, United States
A learning-focused event for convenience retail teams, covering operations, merchandising, leadership, and performance improvement topics.
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Ace Hardware Spring Convention 2026
Feb 24, 2026, Kentucky Exposition Center | Louisville, United States
A large-scale hardware retail convention focused on vendor meetings, product previews, ordering, and store planning for the season ahead.
View event attendee data
March 2026 Grocery Events
GDS Retail Summit North America Spring 2026
Mar 9, 2026, TBA | Boston, United States
A retail leadership summit designed for executive-level discussions on strategy, operations, technology priorities, and peer networking.
View event attendee data
NACS Convenience Summit Asia 2026
Mar 10, 2026, TBA | Shanghai, China
A convenience retail event focused on regional market dynamics, store formats, foodservice, and growth topics for operators and partners.
View event attendee data
Retail Forum Madrid 2026
Mar 18, 2026, IFEMA Feria de Madrid | Madrid, Spain
A retail conference and expo focused on customer experience, retail tech, marketing, and operational priorities for modern retail teams.
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April 2026 Grocery Events
National Convenience Show 2026
Apr 13, 2026, National Exhibition Centre | Birmingham, United Kingdom
A convenience retail trade show covering suppliers, product launches, in-store merchandising, and operational solutions for retailers.
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M-PACT Fuel & Convenience Tradeshow 2026
Apr 14, 2026, Indiana Convention Center | Indianapolis, United States
A fuel and convenience retail trade show focused on operations, payments, equipment, merchandising, and supplier connections.
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CHINASHOP 2026
Apr 15, 2026, Hangzhou Grand Convention And Exhibition Center | Hangzhou, China
A large retail trade show focused on store operations, retail tech, fixtures, supply chain solutions, and new retail formats.
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CStore Connections 2026
Apr 19, 2026, Marriott Jacksonville Downtown | Jacksonville, United States
A convenience retail conference focused on merchandising, technology, operations, and supplier relationships across the c-store ecosystem.
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The NAMA Show 2026
Apr 22, 2026, Los Angeles Convention Center | Los Angeles, United States
A vending, micro market, and unattended retail event covering equipment, product, payments, and operator-focused business topics.
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May 2026 Grocery Events
Retail Media Network Forum 2026
May 4, 2026, TBA | TBA
A forum centered on retail media networks, with discussions on measurement, monetization, partner strategy, and retailer advertiser collaboration.
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GroceryTech 2026
May 12, 2026, TBA | Charlotte, United States
A grocery-focused technology event covering digital commerce, store operations, data, and the systems that support modern grocery retail.
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NYACS Trade Show & Convention 2026
May 13, 2026, TBA | TBA
A regional convenience retail trade show and convention built around supplier exhibits, networking, and industry programming.
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June 2026 Grocery Events
Check back soon for more events.
July 2026 Grocery Events
RetailNOW 2026
Jul 26, 2026, Caesars Forum | Las Vegas, United States
A retail technology event focused on POS, payments, store systems, and operational tools for retailers and solution providers.
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August 2026 Grocery Events
Outlook Leadership 2026
Aug 4, 2026, Terranea Resort | Rancho Palos Verdes, United States
A leadership-focused event for retail and convenience executives, built around strategy discussions, peer networking, and industry outlook sessions.
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PDI Connections Live 2026
Aug 23, 2026, Gaylord Texan Resort | Grapevine, United States
A conference centered on fuel and convenience retail technology, with programming on operations, payments, loyalty, and connected systems.
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September 2026 Grocery Events
FMI Supply Chain Forum 2026
Sep 8, 2026, TBA | TBA
A grocery supply chain event focused on logistics, inventory, collaboration, and operational planning across the food retail ecosystem.
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FMI Annual Business Conference 2026
Sep 14, 2026, Hyatt Regency Orlando | Orlando, United States
A grocery industry business conference for executives and partners, focused on strategy, leadership priorities, and networking across food retail.
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October 2026 Grocery Events
NACS Show 2026
Oct 6, 2026, TBA | Las Vegas, United States
A major convenience retail trade show covering merchandising, foodservice, fuels, store technology, and supplier relationships at scale.
View event attendee data
November 2026 Grocery Events
Check back soon for more events.
December 2026 Grocery Events
Check back soon for more events.
