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The MBC Consulting Share Group Network is now Drive Wheel

Over the past 20 years Mike Brouillard and MBC Consulting have successfully built its network of manufacturer share groups to 25 different groups involving over 150 companies and 1000 industry executives. MBC Consulting has been acquired by Theodore Schweitz, a Minneapolis Entrepreneur previously with Target and BBDO. While the company will be rebranded as Drive Wheel, it will continue and build upon the highly successful peer group format and experience developed by MBC. Jim Wisner has facilitated many of the MBC groups over the past 15 years and will continue bringing energy and new ideas to the new organization. Anyone interested in learning more about the Drive Wheel peer group experience should

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FMI Plans Creating Private Brand Ambassadors Webinar

Jim Wisner and Doug Baker, VP of Industry Relations at FMI, will be conducting a webinar entitled Creating Private Brand Ambassadors. This webinar is an outgrowth of its Power of Private Brands research project Turning Store associates into Private Brand Ambassadors. While 100% of the retailers surveyed indicated that getting store associates more engaged with their retailer’s brands would have a “major impact,” less than a third had any education or training programs in place. This webinar will be followed up in the Spring with the launch of Introduction to Private Brands, a private brand training and education program for store associates and support personnel. Both the webinar and training program will be produced by Wisner Marketing.

Wisner Marketing Conducts Seminar for French Manufacturers

With the dramatic growth of private brands in recent years, many foreign manufacturers have begun to view the United States as truly being “the Land of Opportunity.” At the request of Business France, Jim Wisner was invited to conduct a seminar for French Manufacturers looking to expand beyond their borders. Conducted in late May the program successfully demonstrated how overseas manufacturers could take the first steps to successfully enter the U.S. marketplace.

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Jim Wisner named to FMI Committees

Jim Wisner was recently invited to join the FMI (The Food Industry Association) Private Brand Leadership and Research and Education Committees. In this role, Jim will help form the direction for FMI’s ongoing role in leveraging The Power of Private Brands for its members.

ECRM Webinar is a Huge Success

The ECRM Webinar, Capturing the Global Private Brand Opportunity, conducted by Jim Wisner and the Global Masters of Private Brands, was a huge success with over 350 participants from 31 countries (many in the wee hours of their mornings) participating. This was believed to be a record for an ECRM Marketplace Webinar. The Webinar literally moved around the globe, with the Masters presenting from Australia, The Netherlands, Canada, and the United States.

ECRM: The Global Private Brand Opportunity

On January 28, ECRM Marketplace will be hosting a special Webinar looking at the global opportunity for private brands. Targeted at manufacturers worldwide, it will be presented by The Global Masters of Private Brands (Jim Wisner-US; Bill Trainor-Oceana and Southern Asia; Edgar Elzerman-Europe; and Tom Stephens-Canada, Korea, and elsewhere). The group will move around the world reviewing key markets, selling strategies, and the economics of private brand manufacture. This is a must-see event for any manufacturer contemplating entering new markets or private brands.

Private Brand Management: A Shopper-Centric Approach

On January 26, as part of the FMI Midwinter Annual Meeting, Jim Wisner, in collaboration with Winston Weber Associates, will be launching the first comprehensive approach to private brand management, designed to greatly enhance retailer profitability and consumer loyalty. This multi-year project takes a comprehensive look at re-inventing category management within a shopper-centric framework. A multi-year roll-out will feature training programs, webinars, and other initiatives that will enable FMI members to evolve to a more successful shopper-focused business model.

Case Pack Optimization in Specialty Foods

On January 12, Jim Wisner is presenting Case Pack Optimization: The Hidden Growth Opportunity, as a Webinar hosted by the Specialty Food Association (SFA). This is an updated look at a prior study done by Wisner Marketing for SFA. With a growing opportunity for specialty foods, in tandem with a shrinking center store, this issue is more important than ever. The study features industry surveys, significant activity-based cost analytics, and implications for retailers, manufacturers, and distributors. A special tool has been developed for SFA members to assess their own situations. The tool and the presentation are available in the SFA Learning Center.

FMI to launch “Private Brand Management: A Shopper-Centric Approach” developed by Wisner Marketing.

Perhaps no other area of the business is as strategically important to retailers as achieving success with their private brands. This transformational approach to private brand management is the first comprehensive process for maximizing profitability and shopper loyalty with private brands. Fully integrated with Shopper-centric Retailing concepts developed Winston Weber Associates and Deloitte for FMI, it enables retailers to evolve far beyond what can be achieved with the aging category management concepts that have been central to the industry for the past 30 years. The report will be available in the FMI Library beginning September 8. This project will be supported by webinars and a broad range of training options.

Covid 19 Roundtable at PLMA Washington Conference

This year’s PLMA Washington Conference, one of the most unique industry events will be held October 6-7 as a virtual event. In addition to a great lineup of political and regulatory speakers, PLMA will be holding attendee roundtables both afternoons. Jim Wisner will be moderating a panel addressing Covid 19 Implications for Store Brand Manufacturers. Check the PLMA website for more information.