THE FOOD DISTRIBUTION RESEARCH SOCIETY, INC.

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  • 2017 Food Distribution Research Society Annual Conference – Honolulu, Hawaii – October 20-24, 2017
  • FDRS Conferences

 

Food Distribution Research Society

 

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I first began participating in the Food Distribution Research Society (FDRS) and attending its annual conferences in 2007. That year I brought two student teams from my university to participate in the Student Food Marketing Challenge held in conjunction with the conference in New Orleans, LA. Both teams did very well, achieving 2nd and 4th place, out of 22 teams I believe. From that point on I have made it a priority to attend the conferences and bring a student team as often as possible. Why, you may ask? It’s simple, FDRS members are great colleagues. They are open to sharing their ideas and experiences, and they seek to establish collaborations for future research while at the conference itself. Also, the student marketing challenge competition has provided immense benefit to my students in terms of enhancing their resume by learning critical skills needed to secure jobs in agribusiness. It also strengthens the undergraduate and graduate programs in my academic department, since we offer the opportunity to participate in this competition to all of our majors.

In 2007, FDRS was one of the few professional organization concentrating on food marketing and distribution. Now there are many other opportunities related to small farms, value-added foods, food hubs and other unique and emerging food distributions systems. But, few of these alternatives have such a broad membership, including food business professionals, government partners and university research, teaching and Extension specialists and faculty, all working together to make decisions, provide guidance and oversee policies which directly affect food markets.

A rich history of supporting research & educational interests in food marketing & logistics.

As President, I am confident that we can continue the Society’s mission to bring multiple viewpoints and partners to the table, which will increase the relevance and impact of the work we do.  Our society has a growing membership and many up and coming leaders have joined our ranks. Hence, I am optimistic about the future of our Society and look forward to working with you all in the future.

Honolulu will be a great place for us to gather in October….so please stay tuned for more details. I guarantee the networking opportunities will be excellent given the current and new partners planning to join us for the 2017 meetings. Learning and experiencing the unique products and distributional aspects in Hawaii will give us all a chance to expand our minds.

I look forward to seeing all of you in Hawaii!!

 

 

Kynda Curtis
President, FDRS

FDRS Food Marketing Challenge Student Reviews

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

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.

Scott Fisher - University of Kentucky

FDRS Student Competition
5.0
2015-04-17T17:05:55+00:00

Scott Fisher - University of Kentucky

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 is the most beneficial academic program

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.

Grayson Jenkins - University of Kentucky

FDRS Student Competition
5.0
2015-04-17T17:07:52+00:00

Grayson Jenkins - University of Kentucky

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 competition made us create out of the box marketing ideas

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.

Lauren Gunter - University of Kentucky

FDRS Student Competition
5.0
2015-04-17T17:08:53+00:00

Lauren Gunter - University of Kentucky

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.

FDRS allowed me to step outside of the classroom

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.

Jennifer Woods-Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo

FDRS Student Competition
5.0
2015-04-22T12:41:47+00:00

Jennifer Woods-Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo

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.

Collaborating with a team to solve real marketing problems

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

John Larson-Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo

FDRS Student Competition
5.0
2015-04-22T12:54:06+00:00

John Larson-Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo

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

FDRS was one of the most rewarding academic events

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! 

Ashley Higgins-Colorado State University

FDRS Student Competition
5.0
2015-04-23T11:55:56+00:00

Ashley Higgins-Colorado State University

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! 
5.0
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Interested in Marketing and Distributing Fresh Products? Join us October 20-24, 2017 at the 58th Annual FDRS Conference in Waikiki Beach, HI!

Register now!
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