INDIANAPOLIS – This week NACS held the Introduction to Category Management Seminar, "Turning Plans Into Action," at the Indianapolis Weston in Indianapolis. The seminar, lead by the Impact 21 Group, was open to both retailers and suppliers and focused on the importance of creating a strategy to effectively manage a category, from start to implementation.

Using the industry-specific NACS Category Management Framework, suppliers got an inside look at how retailers are using category management techniques. "Category management helps retailers and suppliers work together to analyze business performance, better meet consumer needs, and jointly grow sales and profits," said John Zikias, COO of Impact 21 Group.

Retailers and suppliers from large to burgeoning companies received a unique one-on-one experience to network, learn about what is driving their business requirements and strategies, and facilitate win-win programs. Suppliers were able to work together with retailers to better understand how to apply category management principles and practices to become a value-added resource for retailers' category management teams.

"We are relative new to focusing on the convenience store channel," said Les Havins, director of business development at Bimbo Bakeries USA. "The most important aspect of the seminar is to talk to retailers and find out where they get their data, what their sources are and what they expect."

Due to the overwhelming success of this program, NACS will hold a second Introduction to Category Management Seminar on December 4 to 5 at the Sheraton Hotel in New Orleans. For more information, click here or contact Alison Matys at (703) 518-4245 or amatys@nacsonline.com.