Emerge supports early-stage CPG founders in reaching their growth goals
About Us

Emerge supports early-stage CPG founders in reaching their growth goals

Early-stage CPG founders and their teams gain a wealth of expertise, industry connections, business guidance, solutions and services when they join the EmergeCPG growth community and program.

Save money, time and frustration by accessing the right resources, connections and solutions you need, when you need them. Whether it be data analytics and insights, finding the right contract manufacturer, meeting distribution and channel strategists, branding and packaging experts, legal gurus, we’ve got your business needs,  challenges and goals covered!

Meet and learn from CPG founders and industry leaders who have been where you are, and want to share their sage guidance and learnings.

Build your industry network of trusted resources at every step of your growth journey!

Our Commitment

Emerge partners with industry leaders to bring the best across the food and grocery industry together. Partners include FMI (the Food Industry Association), SNAC International and the Maine Center For Entrepreneurs.

 

FMI 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. Emerge members have access to FMI resources and subject matter experts, across areas such as supplier diversity, food safety and private brands.

 

FMI member companies operate nearly 33,000 retail food stores and 12,000 pharmacies, across the entire spectrum of food retail venues; single owner grocery stores, large multi-store supermarket chains, pharmacies, online and mixed retail stores. FMI supports all players across the grocery retail industry to foster healthy trading partner relationships.

 

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

FMI’s U.S. member directory and international 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 their Board of Directors.

  • Supplier Partners

Whether you want to develop healthy trading partner relationships, or seek more shelf space, Emerge helps you succeed with access to FMI Associate members. FMI has over 500 FMI Associate members.

More About FMI

More About FMI

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 Expertise

The FMI team based in Arlington, Virginia, has expertise in a wide-variety of retail areas including food safety, health & wellness, supply chain, sustainability, packaging, private brands and more. Meet a few members of the FMI team!

  • 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

  • Dagmar Farr

    Dagmar Farr

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

  • Doug Baker

    Doug Baker

    Vice President, Industry Relations

  • Rick Stein

    Rick Stein

    Vice President, Fresh Foods