Chill & Chat with NFRA

In this episode of Chill & Chat, Eric Scarcella, NFRA Communications Manager, is joined by Rachel Kyllo, Dairy Farmers of America, Kimberly Dale, Giant Eagle, and registered dietitian Annette Maggi for a dynamic discussion on how the dairy aisle is evolving to meet today’s shopper needs. Together, they explore how dairy continues to deliver trusted staples while embracing innovation—from prote...

In this episode of Chill & Chat, Eric Scarcella, NFRA Communications Manager, welcomes Annette Maggi, President of Annette Maggi and Associates, Molly Hembree, Dietitian Supervisor, Kroger, and Tina McGeough, Retail Dietitian, Stop and Shop, for an insightful conversation on the evolving role of the Retail Registered Dietitian and their growing influence across today’s grocery retail environme...

In this episode of Chill & Chat, Tricia Greyshock, President & CEO, NFRA, is joined by Eva Goulbourne, Founder & CEO, Littlefoot Ventures, and Marty Steinmetz, Chief Commercial Officer, RealCold, for a conversation on how waste reduction is transforming operations, retailer expectations, cold chain performance, and category growth. The episode explores the findings and implications of...

In this episode of Chill & Chat, Mark Tarzwell, Adjunct Instructor, Saint Joseph’s University, sits down with Food Marketing students Nate Muraski, Nicolette Miranda, and Christian Palermo to share their perspectives as emerging leaders in the food industry. Recorded following their experience at the NFRA Convention, the conversation highlights what stood out to them on-site, from category tre...

In this episode of Chill & Chat, Matt Point, Senior Vice President of Strategy & Operations, NFRA, is joined by members of the NFRA Executive Committee: Tracy Aquila, Vice President of Business Development, CROSSMARK, Neil Ritchey, Vice President of Sales, InnovAsian, and Matt O’Hare, President & CEO, JOH. Take a listen from these leaders as they discuss how NFRA connects every corner...

In this episode of Chill & Chat, Kate Landis, Senior Director of Marketing, NFRA, and Kelley Rodriguez, Editor-in-Chief, Refrigerated & Frozen Foods, sit down with Joe Nicchi, founder of CVT Soft Serve and the grand prize winner of NFRA’s 2025 Penguin Pitch Contest. During the conversation, Nicchi shares his unique journey going from serving high-quality soft serve in ice cream trucks in L...

In this special episode of  Chill & Chat with NFRA , President & CEO  Tricia Greyshock  sits down with three participants from NFRA’s inaugural  First Penguin Next Generation Leadership Program  —  Natalie Larson (United States Cold Storage, Inc.),  Kim Larsson  (Painterland Sisters), and  Daniel Menkens  (RecorGroup, LLC). Together, they share candid insights on stepping into leadership r...

In this episode, we’ll explore why ice cream continues to hold such a powerful emotional connection for consumers, how evolving formats and flavors are meeting today’s snacking and portioning habits, and where premium and value positioning fit in an increasingly competitive aisle. We’ll also examine the resilience of ice cream as an indulgent category in changing economic conditions — and look ahe...

Discover how retail dietitians are driving nutrition, health, and ROI from an informative panel of registered dietitians: Annette Maggi of Annette Maggi & Associates, Inc.; Laura Brown, Kroger Health; Stacy Bates, H-E-B; and Yvette Waters, The Raley’s Companies. Learn how their evolving roles boost shopper engagement, influence policy, and support brand partnerships while driving impact across...

Sam Zien, widely recognized as "Sam The Cooking Guy;" Erin Anderson, Danone North America; Tim Heil and Phyllis Rothschild, Pete and Gerry's Organic Eggs, engage in a thought-provoking discussion about the dynamic world of food content. They explore its rapid evolution, the consumer journey across social media and in-store experiences, and how brands are leveraging creators to stand ou...

Emily Metz, American Egg Board (AEB) President & CEO, and Tricia Greyshock, NFRA President & CEO, discuss the current egg landscape, the impact of the evolving Avian flu, and what the recovery outlook entails. The AEB supports America's egg farmers in its mission to increase demand for U.S. eggs and egg products through research, education, and promotion. NFRA Members & Retailers:...

Jason Smith, Managing Director USA, Shopper Intelligence, and Tricia Greyshock, President & CEO, NFRA, take a deep dive into shopper satisfaction, attitudes, and behaviors that are shaping trends for the frozen and refrigerated dairy categories. 

Frozen & Refrigerated Buyer ’s Denise Leathers and George Anderson chat with a couple manufacturers on their experiences with harnessing innovation and navigating consumer expectations. John Reaves, CEO of Milton’s Craft Bakers and Louis McEneny, President of Texas Tamale share challenges they’ve faced as well as insights gained while creating and promoting their products in the frozen aisles.

Frozen and refrigerated industry veterans Mark Tarzwell, COO of Ateeco Inc./Mrs. T’s Pierogies and Kevin Shields, Director of Sales Eastern US, H.P. Hood, chat with  Food Trade News’  Maria Maggio. Hear about their career journeys as well as their experiences with evolution in these categories, from packaging to product lines and the challenges and considerations along the way.

Join Chill & Chat for a deeper look into a recent research study that identifies the opportunity to meet the needs of a key consumer cohort – families with children ages 4-12. Targeting this demographic by focusing on nutrient density, veggie-forward offerings, and easy protein solutions in the frozen and refrigerated aisles can generate sales and improved shopper satisfaction. Ken Harris, Man...

NFRA President & CEO, Tricia Greyshock;  Refrigerated & Frozen Foods  Editor in Chief, Kelley Rodriguez; and Penguin Pitch Emerging Brand contest winner Big Mozz's Marlon Weinberg talk frozen innovation at the 2024 NFRA Convention. Visit https://nfraweb.org/