IFDA Learning Exchanges
June 30 – July 1, 2026
Washington, DC
Overview Section
2026 Meeting will be held in Washington, DC
The IFDA Learning Exchange meeting is an intimate peer-to-peer forum that offers unparalleled networking opportunities and allows foodservice distribution professionals to discuss effective, practical solutions to and ideas around their everyday opportunities and challenges.
The 2026 meeting will be held June 30 – July 1 in Washington, DC.
Peer-driven discussions
The June meeting consists of 100% peer-driven discussions, with agendas made up of questions and topics related to operations, HR, IT and finance determined by participants.
The meetings offer unique opportunities to network with professionals from within your own field across organizations.
Participation is exclusive to representatives from foodservice distribution/redistribution companies that are IFDA members to foster open conversations.
“[These meetings] are an excellent opportunity to discuss best practices, pain points, and fresh ideas with your peers in a more intimate setting. The moderated discussion keeps the schedule on point, while also broadening the topics with knowledge from the industry. You can expect to walk away with a greater sense of how your KPIs line up industry wide, and new ideas to bring back and implement.”
Jim Hoss, Vice President, Transportation & Operations, Cash-Wa Distributing, in Kearney, NE
Frequently Asked Questions
Who Should Attend
Meeting participation is exclusive to professionals at IFDA-member foodservice distribution and redistribution companies to foster open and uninhibited conversation.
The June IFDA Learning Exchanges meeting focus is on the core disciplines of operations, IT/technology, human resources, and finance and is best suited for professionals in those fields, but individuals in other fields may also attend. There are no restrictions or requirements on title levels, but participants typically range from manager and director, to vice president and head-of-department. Multiple individuals per company are allowed.
Discussions are generally held around tactical ideas and solutions to everyday practical challenges and opportunities rather than strategic directions and concepts.
Registration
Registrants for the June Learning Exchange meeting will receive a 25% discount on registration for the IFDA Solutions Conference.
Meeting Format
The meeting format is an intimate forum with 100% peer-driven discussions. There are no speakers or breakout sessions. Participants submit questions/topics in advance of the meeting that make up the agenda. Each participant will have a chance to ask their own questions to receive ideas and feedback from fellow participants. Spontaneous discussion is strongly encouraged, as well.
Each participant is expected to actively contribute to the conversation by asking questions and sharing their expertise and experience with various situations, solutions, and strategies. Problem-solving works best when all aspects are taken into consideration.
Questions and discussion topics can take any form and be as broad or as specific as you’d like. You may seek peer input on task-specific solutions, systems and processes, best practices, key industry challenges, recommendations for specific situations, ideas for improving workflow and tracking success, and more.
To foster an environment of sharing information and experiences freely, the meetings are not recorded or summarized.
More questions?
Email: Annika Stensson.