IGA’S RETAILERS MAKE STRIDES IN TRAINING DURING WEEKLONG
SUPERMARKET OPERATIONS CLASS

Second Supermarket Operations Class Scheduled

CHICAGO, IL - IGA Institute today announced a second immersion in Supermarket Operations Training. The fall class is set for October 3 - 8th at the Hussmann Training Center in St. Louis. The first IGA Supermarket Operation class, held March 7-13, exceeded full capacity, prompting the scheduling of this additional class. Registration for the class, which is open to all IGA members worldwide, will begin in July, 2004.

“Our objective in the first class was to give our retailers supermarket learnings to become more successful on their own. The evaluations received made us very proud of what was achieved. The supermarket operations class proved to be an excellent classroom element to our program. We believe that worldwide entrepreneurs and executives have a need for a center to blend classroom and web based training,” said Paulo Goelzer, Ph.D., president, IGA Institute.

The fall class will be structured similarly to the spring session, with a balance of classroom lectures, group discussion and store visits. Again, more than twenty faculty will be addressing industry training issues, ranging from retail strategy, store format, merchandising, customer service, organizing effective events and advertising campaigns, health and sanitation, branding, produce, bakery, deli and developing a positive store culture.

Testimonials from Students who attended the Spring 2004 Session:

“This has been the best course I have attended. For your first effort I will give you an ‘A’. Thanks for everything.”
Gaulbert Charles
Division Manager Operations
Gablewood Supermarket Ltd.
St. Lucia

“Excellent fun.”
Ainsworth Foote
Purchasing Manager
Super Plus Food Stores IGA
Jamaica

“A totally terrific learning experience!”
Donna Chen
HRD Manager
Super Plus Food Stores
Jamaica

“Action Packed with a lot of material covered in a short time schedule. It’s been a wonderful experience not just with the content but the great people involved. Thanks again!”
Jonathan Weiss
Produce/Floral Manager
Payless Food Market IGA
California, USA

“We are building on the success of the first class and on the knowledge of other international IGA training programs,” said Goelzer. “The fall supermarket operations class will have a state-of-the-art online element. Before coming to St. Louis, students will be offered preparatory online courses to improve the learning experience and create subsidies for subsequent organization learning on their return home.”

IGA, the only global supermarketer based in the United States, is the world’s largest voluntary supermarket network with aggregate worldwide retail sales of more than $21 billion per year. The Alliance includes more than 4,000 Hometown Proud Supermarkets worldwide, supported by 36 distribution companies and more the 55 major manufacturers, vendors and suppliers encompassing everything from grocery to equipment items. IGA ranks in the top 10 in world food supermarketing. IGA has operations in 48 of the United States and more than 40 countries, commonwealths and territories on all six inhabited continents.