From April 28 to May 2, 2025, the Retail Learning Institute hosted its annual Supermarket Management Class (SMC) at The Coca-Cola Company Headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. This immersive program brought together 80 attendees — 57 from the United States and 23 from Aruba, Curaçao, Guyana, Puerto Rico, Trinidad, and Venezuela — all eager to enhance their leadership skills and gain insights into the evolving grocery retail landscape.
The SMC is designed for supermarket owners, regional directors, store managers, department supervisors, and emerging leaders. This year's cohort represented a diverse mix of professionals, fostering a rich environment for cross-cultural exchange and collaborative learning. The program's structure encourages participants to step away from daily operational demands and engage deeply with peers and industry experts.
The week commenced with guided tours of four distinct grocery retailers in the Atlanta area: Nam Dae Mun (which earned the 2025 IGA USA International Retailer of the Year title), Publix, and Whole Foods. These visits offered participants firsthand exposure to various store formats, merchandising strategies, and customer engagement approaches. Observing these diverse retail environments provided valuable context for the discussions and lessons that followed.
80 students attended this year's class, which featured 22 sessions. Flip through the yearbook here.
Over the course of the week, 80 attendees from seven countries participated in 22 sessions covering critical aspects of supermarket management, including operations, finance, and leadership. The curriculum emphasized real-world application, with case studies and group projects designed to address common challenges in the grocery sector. A faculty of over 20 seasoned professionals facilitated these sessions, offering insights drawn from extensive industry experience.
Retail Learning Institute President Emeritis Dr. Paulo Goelzer put the class' impact into perspective, saying, "For over two decades, the Supermarket Management Class has served the global grocery community, standing as a testament to our commitment to world-class professional development. Today’s industry demands leaders who can drive innovation, prioritize the customer experience, and optimize operations in an increasingly volatile marketplace. With employee turnover rising at twice the national average, the need for resilient, high-impact leadership has never been greater."
Those leadership needs poured through the sessions, which included topics such as consumer goods and food service insights, cybersecurity essentials to protect your store, and hiring and retention strategies. Participants also engaged in assessments and developed personalized innovation plans to implement in their respective stores.
Beyond the structured sessions, the SMC fostered a sense of community among attendees. Group activities and collaborative projects encouraged the sharing of ideas and best practices. Many participants noted the value of these interactions in broadening their perspectives and enhancing their problem-solving skills, noting:
The speaker's passion reminded me to never lose sight of what I'm doing and how I can empower other people to give a great customer experience."
Eye-opening to learn the difference between management and leadership and how important it is to create a healthy store climate."
I want to empower our associates to share what are we doing better than anyone else. It helped remind me to brag about what we are doing well."
The program concluded with a graduation ceremony, where Dr. Goelzer and Brad Morris of Coca-Cola presented certificates to the participants. Leaders from Houchens Food Group, The Coca-Cola Company, and the Coca-Cola bottler from Puerto Rico attended the celebration in support of their participants. The celebration included a happy hour featuring food, drinks, and dancing, providing a festive end to an intensive week of learning.
As the grocery industry continues to evolve, initiatives like the Supermarket Management Class play a crucial role in preparing leaders to navigate change and drive innovation. By combining practical training with opportunities for networking and collaboration, the SMC equips participants with the tools necessary to enhance customer experiences and improve store performance.
For more information about the Supermarket Management Class and to register for the 2027 session (running May 17–May 21, 2027) sessions, visit the Retail Learning Institute's website.