THE FOOD DISTRIBUTION RESEARCH SOCIETY, INC. | a rich history of supporting research and educational interests in food marketing and logistics.

It is a great opportunity and honor to serve as president of the Food Distribution Research Society. The Society is fully committed to applied research that could impact stakeholders across the global food system. As the second Hispanic woman to serve as President, I will continue embracing an organizational environment that gives members and leadership a sense of belonging, where they can exchange ideas and thrive. Additionally, I will continue the Society’s culture of fostering the knowledge exchange between academia, industry, and government.

This year’s annual conference was a partnership between the National Agricultural Marketing Summit and MarketMaker, with additional support from Extension Risk Management, Farm Credit Council, and Illinois Farm Bureau. This partnership is evidence of our commitment to working with organizations to promote idea exchange between academia, government, and industry related to food distribution, all in an effort to foster industry growth. As in previous years, the conference included a Student Food Marketing Challenge that was held online to maximize participation from teams all over the world. This competition facilitates student interactions with industry clients, as student teams design and present strategies to address a client’s real-world challenge in marketing and food distribution. First place went to California State University, Fresno; second place went to the University of Connecticut; and third place went to California State University, Chico.

Our Journal of Food Distribution Research continues to focus on issues of importance facing the US agribusiness economic sector. This year, our editorial team included guidelines for submitting Harvard-style teaching cases. We encourage you to submit your research articles to our journal.

Please consider joining us in 2023 in Washington, DC, at our next FDRS Annual Conference! If you are new to FDRS or are considering joining the Society, come and see what we are all about. Come and enjoy a collegial atmosphere and make lasting professional connections! I look forward to seeing you in Washington, DC.

FDRS allowed me to step outside of the classroom and work with my fellow students to create something useful for our client. It tested our time management and collaboration skills and was a great opportunity to showcase all the knowledge we gained in class.

FDRS allowed me to step outside of the classroom

The Food Distribution Society Competition was a great experience. We met and hung out with students from other universities and we networked with a few industry professionals who talked with us on an equals instead of feeling like it was a job interview the whole conversation. The competition made us think quick on our feet and create out of the box marketing ideas.

The competition made us create out of the box marketing ideas

Collaborating with a team to solve real marketing problems for a client was one of the most rewarding parts of participating in FDRS.

Collaborating with a team to solve real marketing problems

Participating in the FDRS case study competition was the highlight of my Senior year. Having a chance to meet students from colleges across the country with similar degree aspirations and interests was a neat experience. The FDRS society did a great job in planning out several field trips for all of the students and staff, making the trip unique to the locale to provide a hands on and visual learning opportunity. On top of that the event incorporates critical thinking, problem solving skills, and presenting in front of an audience, all of which are all crucial skills for life beyond being an undergraduate. The competition also provides something interesting and recent to talk about with future potential employers during interviews after graduation. Overall, participating in the FDRS case study competition was a very positive experience and I would recommend taking advantage of the opportunity to everyone.

The FDRS case study competition was the highlight of my Senior year

The FDRS case study competition allowed me to showcase all of the information that I had learned in my classes, while enhancing my understanding of numerous concepts. Being a member of the UK team helped me to grow my professional network, gain experience in solving complex issues, and learn how to work with a team. I can say with full confidence that the FDRS case study competition is the most beneficial academic program I participated in while attending the University of Kentucky.

The FDRS case study competition is the most beneficial academic program

FDRS was one of the most rewarding academic events we could have participated in! Our team was able to use the information we learned in the classroom and apply it to the challenges at hand. Each of our teammates brought forward strengths that we learned inside and outside of the classroom at CSU. FDRS allowed us to build on and learn new skills that will help us going into our future careers-that may be with FDRS members and organizations!

FDRS was one of the most rewarding academic events

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Get ready for the 2023 Conference

A Message From Our President Margarita Velandia

FDRS Food Marketing Challenge Student Reviews