CCCs are uniquely productive for two reasons. First, they are conducted on a decision-making level, and secondly are prescheduled, allowing each wholesaler/retailer and supplier to thoroughly prepare for them. Format-wise, supplier personnel follow their CCC schedules in rotating to wholesale/retail members seated at numbered tables. Supplier personnel can hand-carry a very limited assortment of products and/or literature to supplement their CCC presentations.

Please note: The entire CCC floor will be a non-smoking environment. A separate smoking area will be designated.

In accordance with GMDC’s Bylaws, supplier personnel must include the senior executive responsible for sales and/or marketing to the supermarket industry.

Regional sales executives and other supportive supplier personnel are also encouraged to attend as long as the senior executive is present. Any supplier executive choosing to delegate GMDC’s marketing conference to a broker, manufacturer’s representative or regional sales person is slighting not only his own company, but also the wholesale/retail members. Each GMDC wholesale/retail company will be represented by the vice president or director of general merchandise purchasing; all wholesalers/retailers are encouraged to bring supportive buying personnel.

Within the CCC scheduling process, wholesale/retail members are given the opportunity to select those suppliers with whom they would like either an eight-minute or a 16-minute CCC. GMDC encourages all Wholesalers/Retailers to fill all available CCC appointment slots.

Suppliers use these opportunities to discuss business reviews, preview new products or promotions, introduce new marketing concepts, or explore ways
to generate additional sales. Wholesalers/retailers come prepared to review products and programs, explore means for generating increased volume, or discuss problem areas.

While GMDC’s conference format does not provide for product displays, suppliers can use limited presentation aids for their CCCs. Keeping the use of samples at a minimum reduces the problem of overwhelming wholesalers/retailers with items to ship home. GMDC reserves the right to approve or disapprove the use of any rolling sample carts on the CCC floor. Absolutely no four-wheel rolling carts will be allowed.

Shipping instructions and labels are available in the Member Area of the website to facilitate the shipping of samples to the conference venue, if supplier attendees would like to bring product samples on hand to bring to their CCC appointments.