FMI Emerge is Hosted by the Food Marketing Institute (FMI)
About Us

FMI Emerge is Hosted by the Food Marketing Institute (FMI)

FMI proudly advocates on behalf of the food retail industry, which employs nearly 5 million workers and represents a combined annual sales volume of almost $800 billion.

  • FMI member companies operate nearly 33,000 retail food stores and 12,000 pharmacies.
  • FMI membership includes the entire spectrum of food retail venues; single owner grocery stores, large multi-store supermarket chains, pharmacies, online and mixed retail stores.

Our Commitment

FMI is passionate and committed to helping emerging brands succeed in grocery retail distribution. One of the most valuable success factors for emerging brands is distribution, because the number of stores and amount of shelf space is finite.

We support all players across the grocery retail industry to foster healthy trading partner relationships.

Why FMI?

Through programs in public affairs, food safety, research, education, health and wellness and industry relations, FMI offers resources and provides valuable benefits to almost 1,000 ­­­food retail and wholesale member companies and serves 85 international retail member companies. In addition, FMI has almost 500 Associate member companies that provide products and services to the food retail industry.

  • Retailers/Wholesalers

Take a look at our U.S. member directory and our international members. Our members include Walmart, Amazon/Wholefoods, Safeway, Publix, HEB, Kroger, Wakefern, Wegmans and many more.

  • Leadership

FMI has a wide range of active member committees and leadership including our Board of Directors.

  • Supplier Partners

Whether you want to develop healthy trading partner relationships, or seek more shelf space, FMI Emerge helps you succeed with our Associate members.

We have more than 500 FMI Associate members.

FMI Mission Statement

FMI Mission Statement

FMI represents food retailers and wholesalers and develops and promotes policies, programs and forums supporting its members, their customers and supplier partners, and other industry stakeholders in the areas of:

  • government relations;
  • food and product safety and defense;
  • education;
  • industry collaboration and networking;
  • research;
  • health and wellness;
  • social, environmental and sustainability programs; and
  • communications.

By pursuing these activities, FMI provides leadership and advocacy for the food and consumer product industry worldwide as the industry innovates to meet the changing needs of its customers. For more information, visit www.fmi.org and for information regarding the FMI Foundation, visit www.fmifoundation.org.

FMI Staff Thought Leaders

Our staff team, based in Arlington, Virginia, has expertise in a wide-variety of retail areas to include food safety, health & wellness, supply chain, sustainability, marketing, packaging, private brands and more.

  • Leslie Sarasin, Esq., CAE

    Leslie Sarasin, Esq., CAE

    President and Chief Executive Officer

  • Mark Baum

    Mark Baum

    Chief Collaboration Officer & Senior Vice President, Industry Relations

  • Susan Borra, RD

    Susan Borra, RD

    Chief Health & Wellness Officer & Executive Director, FMI Foundation

  • Dagmar Farr

    Dagmar Farr

    Chief Member Relations Officer and Senior Vice President, Membership and Education

  • Robert Garfield

    Robert Garfield

    Chief Food Safety Assessment Officer & Senior Vice President, SQFI

  • Jennifer Hatcher

    Jennifer Hatcher

    Chief Public Policy Officer & Senior Vice President, Government Relations

  • Hilary Thesmar, PhD, RD

    Hilary Thesmar, PhD, RD

    Chief Food & Product Safety Officer & Senior Vice President, Food Safety Programs

  • Carol Abel

    Carol Abel

    Vice President of Education Program Development

  • Stephanie Barnes

    Stephanie Barnes

    Chief Regulatory Officer & Legal Counsel

  • Doug Baker

    Doug Baker

    Vice President, Private Brands & Technology

  • LeAnn Chuboff

    LeAnn Chuboff

    Vice President, SQFI Technical Affairs

  • Margaret Core

    Margaret Core

    Vice President, Marketing & Industry Events

  • David Fikes

    David Fikes

    Vice President, Communications & Consumer/Community Affairs

  • Heather Garlich

    Heather Garlich

    Vice President, Media and Public Relations

  • Steve Markenson

    Steve Markenson

    Director, Research

  • Julie Pryor

    Julie Pryor

    Director, Emerging Brands

  • Rick Stein

    Rick Stein

    Vice President, Fresh Foods

  • Patrick Walsh

    Patrick Walsh

    Chief Business Development & Vice President, Supply Chain

  • Sue Wilkinson

    Sue Wilkinson

    Senior Director, Information Service & Research

I'M AN FMI MEMBER