FMS Solutions

Twelve Times The Profit: What Separates Independent Grocery’s Leaders From The Field The 2026 U.S. Independent Grocers Financial Study shows profit leaders earning 12 times the field. Most of the gap sits in the fresh perimeter.

Tapatio Springs might be the Texas Hill Country's best kept secret. For two days this October, it's home base for the FMS Profit Summit: limestone bluffs, clear rivers, and a view that looks nothing like the inside of a conference center.

Get there early or stay a little later and there's plenty to fill the time. Walk a few holes on the Resort Course, claim a hammock by the fire pit, cast a line at the fishing pond, or wander one of the trails before the sessions kick off.

Our discounted Profit Summit room block at Tapatio Springs closes September 11. Book your stay while it's still there.

Register Today: fmsprofitsummit.com

⏳ 6 WEEKS TO GO ⏳

2nd Annual FMS Profit Summit
📍 Tapatio Springs, Texas Hill Country
🗓️ October 6-8

Where independent grocers go to grow.

This year: a live policy report from Washington with Greg Ferrara, a keynote from Bhavdeep Singh, peer roundtables on the money problems operators actually face, and an Awards Gala under the stars at Enchanted Springs Ranch.

Hotel block closes September 11 — grab your room and register at fmsprofitsummit.com.

The 2026 FMS/NGA U.S. Independent Grocers Financial Study is out.

The headline is resilience. Margins improved. Same-store sales grew. Independents held their ground in a year of cautious consumer spending.

The bigger story is the distance between the top performers and everyone else. Profit leaders are running roughly twelve times the net profit of the rest of the field.

Same economy. Same shoppers.

The study maps where that gap comes from. Shrink, inventory turns, expense control and what you are doing in fresh.

Get your copy: https://bit.ly/2026FincStudy

Big-chain data. Independent grocer budget.

Meet Profit Hound™ — real-time insights that help you compete like the majors, without paying like one.

Schedule your preview → https://fmssolutions.com/profit-hound/

Join us on Wednesday, October 7, for an evening to remember in a real working Old West town. This year's FMS Profit Summit Awards Gala is heading to Enchanted Springs Ranch, right in the Texas Hill Country.

It will be a fun evening with trick roper Kevin Fitzpatrick, line dance instructor David Callahan (fresh off teaching at the Country Music Hall of Fame), dinner under the Hill Country sky, and the presentation of this year's FMS Profit Summit awards honoring the operators raising the bar for independent grocery.

Boots & Blazers. Grab yours.

Register for the 2nd Annual FMS Profit Summit: fmsprofitsummit.com

Two days left. Nominations for the 2026 FMS Profit Summit Awards close Friday, August 14.

Three awards are open:
🏆 Mark Ehleben Memorial Award for Outstanding Retailer: for an operator setting the standard
🏆 Gary Bickmore Memorial Award for Community Impact: for a store making a real difference where it operates
🏆FMS Outstanding Customer Service Award: for an FMS team member who goes above and beyond

If someone came to mind while reading this, take a minute and send in their name before Friday.

Nominate: https://fmsprofitsummit.com/profit-summit-awards-gala/

Who's earned it this year?

Nominations are open for the 2026 FMS Profit Summit Awards — recognizing an outstanding independent retailer, a store making real community impact, and an FMS team member who goes above and beyond.

The people who deserve this don't nominate themselves. That part's on us.

Nominations close August 14.

Winners honored at the FMS Profit Summit Awards Gala on October 7 at Enchanted Springs Ranch in Boerne, Texas.

Nominate someone: https://fmsprofitsummit.com/profit-summit-awards-gala/

Every operator wants to know the same thing: how do my numbers compare?

Rachael Gideo has the answer. She's presenting National Grocery Trends: What the Numbers Mean for Your Store tomorrow at ECRS Ignite in Nashville, walking through what the national data says about where independents actually stand.

Margin and profitability benchmarks across the independent grocery sector
Shrink, labor, and expense trends hitting the bottom line
Private label and e-commerce movement worth watching

Tuesday, August 4 | 2:00 to 2:45 PM

FMS is a proud sponsor of Ignite 2026, and we're on the exhibit floor all week. Stop by and let's talk about your numbers.

⭐Early bird pricing ends Saturday, August 1.⭐

Register now to secure the $249 rate for the 2026 FMS Profit Summit, where independent grocers and industry leaders will share practical strategies to improve profitability, strengthen operations, and compete more effectively.

Join us October 6–8 in the Texas Hill Country.

Register at fmsprofitsummit.com