The Education Program at the National Grocers Association (NGA) Show 2026 is now available and ready to offer high-value sessions. The main topics are Omnichannel Marketing, Merchandising, IGA, People Development, Technology and AI, Fresh Foods, Business Strategy, and Operations.
Of course, Networking will also happen, but let’s focus on the educational part. Here is the entire program.
Design for the grocer, by the grocer
The NGA Show brings together retailers, wholesalers, food retail industry executives, food/CPG manufacturers, and service providers for unparalleled opportunities to learn, engage, share, network, and innovate.
The NGA Show 2026, taking place February 1-3 at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, NV. The NGA Show brings together more than 3,500 retailers, wholesalers, manufacturers, and service providers for three days of learning, networking, and innovation.
The NGA Show is proud to announce the continuation of its long-standing partnership with the Independent Grocers Alliance. The Independent Grocers Alliance (IGA) was founded in 1926 to bring family-owned, local grocery stores together under the IGA brand.
John Ross, IGA CEO, will lead some Education Sessions at the NGA Show 2026, and if you want a bite of what you can learn from listening to him, just read What to Look Out For in 2026, where he shares what groceries can do to grow while taking care of their shoppers.
Related Article: The NGA Show 2026: New Programs and Features Announced
IGA Education Sessions at the NGA Show 2026
Sunday, February 1
- 12:45-1:45 p.m. IGA & Creative Choice present Best in Class Retailers
IGA CEO John Ross takes the Grand Ballroom stage for a brief presentation on marketing and merchandising, which he will follow by moderating a panel discussion featuring four Creative Choice winners and IGA Retail Award winners. - 4:45-6:15 p.m. Keynote Presentation: NGA Industry Update & Travis Mills
Greg Ferrara, President and CEO of NGA, and Richie Morgan, Executive Chairman of North State Grocery, Inc. and Chairman of the NGA Board, reflect on a year of progress marked by advocacy wins, enhanced member resources, and industry-leading initiatives. They will also be joined by John Ross, CEO of IGA, to celebrate IGA’s 100th anniversary. The session will feature the inspiring story of Travis Mills, one of only five Iraq/Afghanistan war survivors with quadruple amputations, who will share a message of resilience and service.
“That bomb took my arms and it took my legs; I can’t change that. But it was up to me to decide if it would also take my spirit. It was up to me to decide to get back up, to never quit. And that is what I choose to do, every day,” Mills said. - 6:15-8:15 p.m. Welcome Reception & IGA 100th Anniversary Celebration
The “IGA USA Centennial Retailers of the Year” will be revealed, a group representing the best of the last 100 years of the independent industry.
Monday, February 2
- 7:30-8:00 a.m. Onward to 2030: A Look at Changing Shopper Behaviors Through the Decade’s End | IGA CEO John Ross General Session
As the grocery landscape accelerates into a new era, independent retailers face both unprecedented challenges and powerful opportunities. This forward-looking session explores how shopper expectations, purchasing patterns, and loyalty drivers are transforming as we approach 2030, and what independent grocers must do today to stay ahead. - 9:15-10:00 a.m. Unlocking Independent Grocery’s Untapped Retail Media Potential: What CPG Brands Want, What’s Missing, and What Comes Next
This session at the NGA Show 2026 will help retailers, wholesalers, and technology partners understand exactly what brands need to increase investment and will creatively illuminate how new models (including consortium-style approaches) will unlock national media scale for the independent segment. - 10:15-11:00 a.m. Connecting with the Value-obsessed Shopper Online and In-Store
This workshop explores practical, high-impact ways to reach value-obsessed shoppers and influence their decisions in real time. Participants will learn how to activate a unified strategy that includes national offers from CPG partners, in-store and online messaging that addresses price concerns, and affordable CTV advertising that blends item-and-price promotion with brand awareness. These tools empower independents to maintain an ongoing, continuous conversation about value—reinforcing their commitment to shoppers’ long-term, price-conscious needs.
Tuesday, February 3
- 9:15-10:00 a.m. Recipes as Retail’s Untapped Growth Engine: How Inspiration, Paid Media & CPG Partnerships Convert Shoppers into Buyers
This high-impact panel at the NGA Show 2026 will bring together digital retail experts, CPG brand leaders, and commerce strategists to demonstrate how recipes—once considered “content”—have become a measurable conversion engine.