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About This Webinar
In 2025, the food retail industry faces both significant challenges and exciting opportunities. From shifting consumer preferences and rising competition to evolving store formats and emerging growth categories, retailers must stay agile to meet changing demands. The positioning of international/ethnic grocers, the rise of natural and organic products, and ongoing competition between discounters and traditional grocers are shaping the future of the industry.

Join The Food Institute as we welcome leading food retail analyst R.J. Hottovy, Head of Analytical Research at Placer.ai, for the FI-exclusive webinar: The Future of Food Retail. On Wednesday, Feb. 26 at 2 pm ET, Hottovy will provide expert insights into key trends and strategies shaping the industry.

Join us as we explore the following topics:

  • International/Ethnic Grocers: How these retailers are positioning themselves and their impact on the market amid changing U.S. demographics.

  • C-Stores: A tale of two cities—comparing emerging brands with foodservice options with legacy operators

  • Grocery Categories: Insight into big box stores, national supermarkets, regional grocers, and dollar stores.

  • Natural and Organic: Exploration into the consumer preferences that are driving growth in these categories.

  • Discounters vs. Traditional Grocers: Data on how the myriad parts of the grocery market are enticing consumers amid inflation and the threat of higher prices due to tariffs.

    • Make sure to register today! All registrants will receive a copy of the recording after the event.

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    Sponsored by:

    Placer.ai

    Placer.ai is the most advanced foot traffic analytics platform allowing anyone with a stake in the physical world to instantly generate insights into any property for a deeper understanding of the factors that drive success. It is the first platform that fully empowers professionals in retail, commercial real estate, dining, and more to truly understand and maximize their offline activities with reporting capabilities that include visit trends, True Trade Areas, cannibalization/void analysis, demographics, cross-shopping, and favorite places.

    To learn more, visit https://www.placer.ai/.
    1738619075-565e5fb47764b949
    R.J. Hottovy, CFA
    Head of Analytical Research, Placer.ai
    R.J. Hottovy, CFA is Head of Analytical Research for Placer.ai. He has covered the restaurant, retail, and e-commerce sectors for nearly 20 years. He has held several analyst positions in the past, including Global Consumer Equity Strategist at Morningstar and equity analyst roles at William Blair & Co. and Deutsche Bank. Hottovy also brings a wealth of experience with early-stage investments as an investor and member of the investment committee for the IrishAngels Venture Capital group. Over the past three years, he has worked with more than 50 consumer and technology companies, advising on more than $200 million in early-stage capital raises and other buy- and sell-side M&A transactions. Hottovy is also a member of the Chicago Seed Co. network, a group of Chicago-area investors focused on early-stage food & beverage companies.

    Hottovy's efforts have been recognized by several financial and trade publications, including CNBC, The Wall Street Journal, Investors Business Daily, Barron's, BusinessWeek, Forbes, and The Economist. He is an active member of the CFA Society of Chicago and maintains a regular teaching schedule through the University of Notre Dame Mendoza College of Business and the Girls Who Invest program. He was also a finalist for Crain's Chicago "40 Under 40" award in 2011. Hottovy graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Notre Dame with a BA in Finance and a second degree in Computer Applications.
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