Serving Food Safely

Join food safety heavyweights at the c-store specific NACS Food Safety Conference.

Our industry has come a long way when it comes to food. There was a time when “gas station food” resonated like a last resort for desperate and weary travelers. Not so today. Foodservice programs within the convenience store space have been evolving for decades and represent 22.5% of in-store sales, with no signs of slowing down.

The lion’s share of foodservice comes from prepared foods, which represent nearly 70% of foodservice sales, according to the NACS State of the Industry Report of 2021 Data. These programs include customizable and made-to-order sandwiches and salads, freshbaked pizza, prepared on-site fresh fried chicken—products that require a laser beam focus on safe food handling.

“Food safety and protecting public health is not a competitive advantage,” said Dr. Jay Ellingson, chief scientific officer at Wisconsin-based Kwik Trip. He believes that our industry is at a “critical crossroad” for getting as many convenience stores as possible on the same page when it comes to food protection and laying the groundwork within the global food industry that convenience stores “are major players in selling trustworthy food.”

Dr. Ellingson and 12 other convenience retail food safety professionals have worked with NACS the past two years to develop an industry-specific food safety event, which is happening this year at the NACS Show on October 1.

All of us can work together to help our colleagues get better, reduce their risks and protect their brands."

“NACS members have a role to play to help push the industry in the right direction. All of us can work together to help our colleagues get better, reduce their risks and protect their brands,” said Dr. Ellingson, who will moderate the inaugural NACS Food Safety Conference.

“One of the unique things about this conference is that it’s going to be retail specific,” said Dr. Ellingson. “For those who attend and embrace this conference and enjoy the educational part, it will be very retail centric in terms of the discussions and the experienced presenters who are food safety experts,” he said.

Here’s what sessions your foodservice, food safety, risk management and quality assurance teams will be a part of at the NACS Food Safety Conference:

WHY FOOD SAFETY CULTURE?

There are well-established food safety and quality protocols and processes within the convenience retail industry. That said, there is also a greater need for leadership to foster a top-down food safety culture that protects and sustains the future of the business.

Dr. Lone Jespersen, founder of Cultivate and food safety culture expert, will share exclusive insights on the NACS Convenience Store Food Safety Culture Maturity Model, the first and only global convenience retail industry specific model that advances food safety culture by initially focusing on the leadership level. Dr. Jespersen will also highlight how a company’s food safety culture can support, align and contribute to its vision and mission.

FOOD SAFETY FIRESIDE CHAT

Mandy Sedlak, senior food safety and public health manager for EcoSure, a business of Ecolab, will talk about today’s food safety climate with a convenience retailer who is leading safe food-handling procedures and operations.

WHAT THE PANDEMIC TAUGHT US ABOUT SAFE FOOD HANDLING

From recalls to managing the food supply, to the role of regulators and in-store food safety training, the global SARS-CoV-2/ COVID-19 pandemic has had a massive impact on the food safety system. Dr. Ben Chapman, a professor and food safety extension specialist at North Carolina State University, will discuss what the industry has learned since March 2020 and how we can best prepare for the future.

Dr. Chapman is also the project chair of FoodCoVNET, which provides science-based strategies and practices to reduce the public health and economic impacts of COVID-19 on the food sector. He’ll share ongoing research on virus persistence, inactivation and transfer.

One of the unique things about this conference is that it’s going to be retail specific."

VENDOR FAILURE? WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW CAN HURT YOU

Suppliers routinely face significant food safety challenges that are often invisible to their customers until it’s too late. Unfortunately, your supplier partner’s challenges can get you into trouble if you are not routinely asking the right questions. In this session, Shawn Stevens, founder of the Food Industry Counsel, will help you tap into today’s complex supply-chain issues and explore best practices to vet new suppliers and identify the right questions you should be asking of your supplier partners to reduce risk. Ultimately, these conversations will lead to stronger relationships built on trust and transparency and serve to better protect public health.

THE HIDDEN DANGERS OF RECALLS; NAVIGATING (AND AVOIDING) REGULATORY, CIVIL AND CRIMINAL EXPOSURE

From norovirus to E. coli, a foodborne illness outbreak can impact and, in many cases, devastate, the entire food chain from grower to retailer to end user. This interactive session will put your team on high alert as an issue arises that may require a large-scale recall. How quickly should you act, what is your risk of regulatory exposure if you make the wrong call, and what is your civil or other exposure? Shawn Stevens, founder of the Food Industry Counsel, will walk you through these scenarios and questions, and help your team create a plan of action so the next time you are faced with a real-word situation, you can react in minutes—not days or weeks.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR OUR COMPANIES?

A panel of convenience retail food safety professionals will talk about what’s keeping them up at night regarding food safety within their companies, followed by audience Q&A.

Dr. Jay Ellingson, chief scientific officer, Kwik Trip Inc.
Nancy Wilson, director, quality assurance, risk management & safety, Wawa Inc.
Jeremy Zenlea, director, head of health and safety, EG America

Dr. Ellingson says that the inaugural NACS Food Safety Conference is the first of many as our industry continues to invest in the future of food and foodservice.

He believes, “It’s a unique opportunity for the entire industry. Convenience stores are one of the fastest growing food sectors—join us at the NACS Food Safety Conference and learn about how to mitigate risk as we all continue to move forward and grow our businesses with food.”

Registration for the NACS Show is required to attend the NACS Food Safety Conference. The conference is open to both retailers and suppliers; suppliers must be exhibiting at the NACS Show. Register today at www.nacsshow.com/register.