Understanding the impact that the food and beverage industry has on manufacturing will be a key focus at the 2017 Georgia Manufacturing Summit. Held October 25th at the Cobb Galleria, one of this year’s Keynote Speakers will be Rob Dugas, the Chief Procurement Officer and Vice President of Chick-fil-A. Mr. Dugas serves Chick-fil-A by overseeing the business functions which are responsible for ensuring product integrity, competitive cost, and a reliable supply chain distribution for over 2000 restaurants in the United States and Canada.

Mr. Dugas will address over 700 industry professionals from around the state that want to hear the important topic Navigating the New Trends in Supply Chain Management. “With the move towards online shopping and delivery services in today’s marketplace, the buying journey keeps evolving as technology continues to advance and new innovations are developed. This paradigm shift will affect the way products are made, packed, distributed and delivered and the manufacturing industry needs to be ready to align with these changes,” said Mr. Dugas.

The “Amazon Effect” and the influence this has on consumer buying experiences and expectations is having a tremendous impact within the manufacturing industry. With the expanding digital footprint and Millennial Mindset, consumers expect an immediate order, product, and delivery process. As companies continue to connect with a modern consumer market, it will be imperative that they deliver to this new mindset across every aspect of the supply chain and manufacturing process.

Chick-fil-A is the largest quick-service chicken restaurant chain in the United States with more than 2,000 locations in 46 states. The company continues to remain the largest privately held fast food chain in America and currently has 224 locations with 11,500 employees in Georgia which has a tremendous economic impact on our state. With a solid business platform and a strategic plan to address the digital consumer, Chick-fil-A appears to be on track for continued growth and success in 2017.

“The Food & Beverage industry affects every level of manufacturing from the tractor that plants the seeds, to the packaging, to the trucks that deliver the products,” said Jason Moss, CEO of the Georgia Manufacturing Alliance. “We are excited to have Mr. Dugas address our Summit attendees on how to stay in step with the new trends and how to most efficiently manufacture their products, provide superior service support, and deliver to the end user.”

This year’s Summit is expected to attract over 700 attendees from across the state and will be focused on the Food & Beverage Industry. It is Georgia’s manufacturing event of the year, and allows attendees to make face-to-face connections with other manufacturers, customers, service providers, and suppliers. This year's event will have over 20 of the top industry leaders provide an educational forum to discuss best business practices, supply chain trends, health & safety, workforce development, and how to develop a better bottom line.