Follow the signs from the lobby to Peace 1 & 2 to pick up your registration packet!

Thursday, September 17

12:00pm - 8:00pm

Friday, September 18

6:00am - 11:00am

Kick off the grand celebration with an opening reception at The Signia Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia, as we serve up drinks and hors d'oeuvres at the official hotel of the IGA Centennial Global Rally.

Dress Code: Business Casual

Buses to Coca-Cola leave from The Signia Hotel between 7:15-7:30 a.m. Breakfast at Coca-Cola upon arrival. Education sessions begin promptly at 9:00 a.m. Please allow ample time to get through Coca-Cola security. Security credentials will be issued via email by Coca-Cola the week of September 14, 2026.

If you're driving and need to park your car, use the guest entrance located at 1 Coca Cola Plaza NW.

If you are being dropped off, biking, or walking, use the Luckie Loop entrance located at 541 Luckie St NW.

9:18 AM The State of IGA: A New Era for Independent Grocers | John Ross, President & CEO, IGA Inc.

Ross traces the evolution of IGA, from founding vision to future opportunity, and makes the case for why the IGA model isn't just surviving. It's thriving, and it's exactly what the next era of grocery demands.

9:50 AM Unprecedented: The Future of the Consumer Industry | Kasey Lobaugh, Chief Futurist at Deloitte Consumer Industry

We are living through a once-in-a-century transition — an unprecedented convergence of change happening all at once, not one at a time. Deloitte's Chief Futurist Kasey Lobaugh unpacks six powerful forces reshaping how businesses compete, operate, and win: shifting consumer behavior, evolving society and culture, exponential advances in technology, industry-wide upheaval, energy and climate pressures, and a shifting regulatory landscape. Drawing on Deloitte's landmark research, Kasey shows how these forces interact and compound, and what it will take to stay ahead as they reshape the ground beneath every industry, including grocery.

10:22 AM Fuel Up & Connect: Coffee Break & Vendor Showcase

10:54 AM The Global Consumer: What's Really Changing in the Cart | Bill Aull, Partner at McKinsey & Company

Grocery shoppers everywhere are becoming more deliberate: shopping more often but buying less each trip, trading up and down within the same basket, and demanding real value instead of complicated promotions. Across the globe, the data tells a consistent story: private label has moved from "cheap alternative" to genuine first choice, wellness and GLP-1 medications are reshaping what lands in the cart, and shoppers want AI to help them decide, not decide for them. At the same time, how and where shoppers buy is shifting just as fast: delivery has become the default way people shop online, the customers who shop both in-store and online are spending more with the retailers they trust, and the store itself is becoming valuable digital real estate — a new way for grocers to build supplier partnerships and fund growth. This session unpacks new global research on how consumer behavior is shifting across markets, and what it means for how independent grocers build trust, deliver value, and earn loyalty in the years ahead.

11:26 AM The View from the Top: IGA Board Members on the Future of Independent Retail | Members of the IGA Inc. Board of Directors

Members of the IGA Inc. Board of Directors sit down for a candid, unscripted conversation about where the independent grocery industry is heading, what it means for the Alliance, and how these leaders are preparing.

Panelists: Michael Bozzuto, CEO, Bozzuto's Inc.; Doug Jones, Group CEO, Metcash Ltd.; John Ross, CEO, IGA Inc.

Moderator: Mark Batenic, Chairman, IGA Inc.

11:58 AM From Global to Local: The World's Best Retail Trends Your Store Can Use Monday Morning | David Polinchock, Co-founder & President, Brand Experience Lab

Around the world, grocery retailers are experimenting with new ways to make shopping more convenient, personal, and deeply connected to the communities they serve — from Seoul's unmanned convenience stores and Japan's service culture to European supermarkets becoming neighborhood gathering places. After 15 years serving as an innovation sherpa to retail executives, David Polinchock has seen which of these ideas actually move the numbers, and which only work in the market that invented them. He'll translate global tech and experiential trends into actionable moves IGA retailers can execute today and tomorrow, including how independents can become modern "third places" — community destinations that build loyalty, strengthen local ties, and drive business.

12:40 PM Lunch & Vendor Showcase

1:52 PM Feeding the City: Food Security, Community Partnership & What's Possible

Food insecurity is one of the most urgent challenges facing communities around the world, and Atlanta is showing what's possible when city leadership and independent grocers work together. John Ross Chief of Staff for the City of Atlanta Courtney English share how their partnership is bringing fresh, affordable food to underserved neighborhoods, why the independent grocer may be one of the most powerful tools a city has, and what other cities can learn from what's happening here.

2:11 PM Independent, Innovative & Growing: IGA Australia | Grant Ramage, CEO of IGA Australia

Grant Ramage shares how one of the world's most dynamic independent grocery networks is winning with shoppers in a highly competitive market. From brand strategy and local marketing to the store-level experiences driving loyalty, Grant offers a candid look at what's working, what's changing, and what the rest of the IGA world can take home.

2:33 PM Winning Where It Counts: The IGA Retailer of the Year Panel | IGA's Retailers of the Year

They were recognized as the best independent grocers in the world; now hear what they've learned along the way. IGA Retailers of the Year sit down for an unscripted conversation about what's driving success in their businesses, how they're connecting with shoppers in meaningful ways, what keeps them up at night, and the one thing they wish they had known when they started.

3:15 PM Fuel Up & Connect: Coffee Break & Vendor Showcase

3:47 PM Finding Your Edge: How Underdogs Win When the Competition Looks Unbeatable | Nicole Mericle, 12-time Obstacle Racing World Champion

Every independent grocer knows the feeling: competing against bigger players with deeper pockets, larger teams, and seemingly endless resources. Yet time and again, the underdog finds a way to win. As a 12-time Obstacle Racing World Champion, Nicole Mericle has spent her career as the smallest competitor on the course, and beating the vast majority of the field anyway. In this session, she shares the specific tactics and mental tricks that let her out-compete bigger, stronger athletes, and shows why the real edge often comes from approaching a challenge from a completely different angle rather than matching your competitor strength for strength. It's a session on strategy as much as grit: exploring how underdogs create advantages when the odds are stacked against them, why resilience and adaptability are essential in today's competitive landscape, and how to build a culture that refuses to quit, no matter the competition.

4:17 PM Closing & Send-Off John Ross closes the day, joined by special guest Greg Ferrara.

Dress Code: Business Casual

Breakfast served at Coca-Cola from 8:00-9:00 a.m.

Sessions run 9:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

An unforgettable speakeasy-themed bash honoring IGA heritage at Atlanta's City Winery. Enjoy signature cocktails, wine, and beer with a buffet dinner, listen to live music, and participate in bourbon tastings with fellow retailers, wholesalers, and partners.

Dress Code: Cocktail attire, 1920s-theme encouraged

Buses leave for City Winery from The Signia Hotel at 6:30 p.m. Buses will depart City Winery for The Signia Hotel as needed beginning at 8:45 p.m.

Follow the signs from the lobby to Peace 1 & 2 to pick up your registration packet!

Thursday, September 17

12:00pm - 8:00pm

Friday, September 18

6:00am - 11:00am

Kick off the morning with an IGA breakfast at The Signia Hotel in the Dream Ballroom (1st floor).

Dress Code: Casual

Store tours: buses depart at 10:00 a.m. Buses will drop guests off at hotel at end of store tours.

World of Coca-Cola & Georgia Aquarium: buses depart at 10:30 a.m. 15-minute walk back to the hotel. 

Dress Code: Casual

Store Tours: Buses depart The Signia Hotel between 9:45-10:00 a.m. Buses will drop guests off at The Signia Hotel at end of store tours.

Dress code: Casual

Buses depart from The Signia Hotel between 10:15-10:30 a.m. 15-minute walk back to The Signia Hotel. 

Dress Code: Casual

Buses depart from The Signia Hotel between 10:15-10:30 a.m. 15-minute walk back to The Signia Hotel. 

Wrap up the 3-day celebration with our IGA Centennial Awards of Excellence Gala honoring our Retailers of the Year and other global award winners at the Georgia Aquarium. It's a milestone, a reunion, and a global party all rolled into one.

Dress Code: Formal/Semi-formal

Come ready to celebrate in style. What does that mean? Suit and tie (black tie optional) or sport coat; or a floor-length gown, cocktail dress, or pantsuit. Most importantly, wear what you're comfortable in, as your presence is what matters most.

Buses depart The Signia Hotel for the Georgia Aquarium at 5:30 p.m. Buses will depart the Georgia Aquarium for The Signia Hotel beginning at 10:40 p.m.

After Party at Signia Hotel - Nest on four upon arrival to hotel until 1:00 AM.