The Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association (PFMA) brought members of the food and beverage industry together for the 2026 PFMA Fall Legislative Conference at Hershey Country Club.
Held Oct. 13-14, the conference included discussions on pricing, Pennsylvania’s 2026 election cycle, federal policy, and issues affecting wholesalers, retailers, and suppliers.
“Our members came to Hershey with real questions about pricing, elections and federal policy,” Alex Baloga, president and CEO of PFMA, said in a statement. “These sessions gave them useful context on those issues and time to talk directly with people working on them.”
According to a release, this year’s program reflects the issues facing Pennsylvania’s food and beverage industry, including the 2026 election cycle and federal policy developments; pricing; distribution; and supply chain challenges. Attendees heard from policy experts, national trade associations, and industry leaders, and connected with peers to discuss the issues affecting their businesses.
The conference opened with a PFMA Board Meeting and Wholesalers Meeting. Brian Weinhaus, director of PMI’s illicit trade prevention section, joined the Wholesalers Meeting to discuss illicit trade and its impact on the industry.
Kathy Hayden and Ellen Smith of Inmar Intelligence, Andy Harig of FMI and Jessica Jacoby Lemos of UNFI discussed modern pricing strategies and the growing policy debate surrounding dynamic pricing and surveillance pricing. The panel focused on separating fact from myth and giving attendees a clearer understanding of how these issues affect businesses, policymakers, and consumers.
PFMA honored Michael Gould of Core-Mark with the Lisa Dell’Alba Food Industry Trailblazer Award. The award recognizes leadership, contributions to the industry, and a longstanding commitment to the food and beverage industry.
A state election update featured Christopher Nicholas and Brittany Crampsie. The panel looked at Pennsylvania’s 2026 election cycle and the political environment heading into the final weeks before Election Day.
The two-day conference concluded with a Federal Policy Update featuring Stephanie Johnson of the National Grocers Association, Andy Harig of FMI and Nick Johns of the Consumer Brands Association. The panel discussed federal issues affecting food retailers, wholesalers and suppliers, and what businesses should be watching in Washington.
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