Change and Innovation Take Spotlight at Solutions Conference

The foodservice distribution industry needs to bring innovative solutions at a time of rapid business change, according to opening day speakers at the 2025 IFDA Solutions Conference.

Approximately 1,500 decisionmakers converged on Ohio’s Greater Columbus Convention Center to learn about how the industry is changing and identify best practices for success. Industry members attended a wide range of education sessions and visited the solution provider expo, which features more than 170 exhibitors.

Opening keynote speaker and author Jonathan Brill, Executive Chairman of the Center for Radical Change, used the term “rogue waves” to describe major changes – including with technology, labor and geopolitical forces — that are hitting businesses harder and more often.

“You’ll see more and more rogue waves as the world continues to move faster,” said Brill, a business futurist. “You’ll see more crisis and danger but also more opportunities if you are prepared.”

How can foodservice distribution best deal with rogue waves? Leaders need to ask what it means for different sectors of their business, from finance to operations, and how it alters their ability to forecast, he said.

Brill urged attendees to lean into change, invest in resilience and innovate around new challenges.

In another presentation related to change, Ryan Pelphrey, Vice President, Enterprise Routing, US Foods, discussed change strategies for enhancing route planning and delivery execution. His organization partnered with solution provider Descartes to make progress, and he outlined a successful execution across the company’s operations.

Pelphrey said that in addressing major challenges it’s important to avoid trying to solve too many problems at once. “Keep things simple by figuring out what problem you want to solve and have a clear problem statement,” he explained.

The IFDA conference spotlighted change management not just in foodservice distribution, but also in food retail. Panelists from Wakefern Food Corp., the largest retailer-owned cooperative in the United States, outlined an ongoing technology transformation across its supply chain to enable strategic growth. Wakefern comprises 45 member companies that independently own and operate 365 retail supermarkets.

“We are bringing our people along for this journey,” said Karen Friedenberg, Director, Business Innovation and Transformation Services at Wakefern, in describing the technology transformation. The strategy includes steps to prepare for change, manage change and sustain outcomes.

Friedenberg emphasized that technology is rapidly shifting and that “today’s food distributors need to stay nimble to adapt to changes.”

The Wakefern panel was presented by the National Grocers’ Association.

IFDA Board Chairman Mike Sweet, who is President, Ben E. Keith Foods, told attendees during his general session remarks that foodservice distribution is focused on “relentless innovation that defines who we are as an industry.” He emphasized that innovation topics including technology, AI and automation are woven throughout this year’s conference agenda.

Article authored by freelance writer David Orgel.