After decades of branding itself the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association (IFMA), the 72-year-old organization revealed a new identity: “IFMA The Food Away from Home Association.”
The organization announced the change at the Presidents Conference on November 4, 2024. The association prompted this decision through its recent long-term strategic planning, which involved intensive self-examination and a clear-eyed look at the industry’s state.
After the pandemic years, it became clear that manufacturers, operators, and distribution partners in the foodservice supply chain and ecosystem depend on each other to address critical challenges.
The Reasons for Changing the Name
Through surveys and conversations with existing members and industry peers, IFMA realized that it was time for the organization to adapt to the needs of the industry it serves.
The association says the new identity will more accurately reflect its strategy to represent the entire food-away-from-home marketplace.
“We have committed to the whole industry by broadening our membership rolls,” said Ben Wexler, president of Custom Culinary and 2024 board chair. “We know that manufacturers remain at the core of all we do, and by adding new categories of membership – notably operators, those in the supply chain, and service providers to our industry – we can better engage the entire ecosystem. It’s critical we all work together – not in silos – to address critical issues that advance the industry.”
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Keeping IFMA as part of the association name was critical to the group. “It’s important to us that we maintain our legacy as IFMA while growing to serve a more dynamic and transformed foodservice community,” said Phil Kafarakis, President & CEO of IFMA The Food Away from Home Association. “Our new name is purposeful and sets a clearer and more powerful message about who we are as an organization.”
How IFMA Plans to Continue Growing
The new brand logo depicts four intersecting “swirls” that represent industry segments joining together through the association’s work to empower, nurture, and connect the whole ecosystem.
Group vice president of field sales at Cargill and incoming 2025 board chair Teri Trullinger explained, “Our expanded membership allows us to connect the industry, creating a gathering spot where we can address the challenges that face all segments. We’ll leverage the breadth of membership to meet our mission to lead a dynamic, transparent, and engaged food-away-from-home community.”
With plans for a soft brand rollout between now and January, followed by full rebranding in the new year, the organization also plans to champion cross-industry initiatives to bring the industry together to collaborate on important issues. The first initiative will focus on addressing food waste across the food-away-from-home segments.
IFMA, the Food Away from Home Association, is a trade association founded in 1952. The organization empowers, nurtures, and connects an inclusive and diverse $1.5 trillion food-away-from-home ecosystem of manufacturers, distributors, operators, and others.