LAYTON—There are many important events that pass through the doors of the Davis Conference Center in Layton, and the Utah Food Industry Association annual conference is certainly no exception. If you’ve shopped at a grocery store or convenience store in Utah in the past 100 years, you’ve benefited directly from the services this organization provides.

The Utah Food Industry Association is bringing its annual conference back to the Davis Conference Center, a space that President and CEO Dave Davis says fits their needs perfectly, Aug. 5 and 6. The conference is key to yearly operations for the organization and will feature many updates, administrative changes, some impressive speakers, awards, and even a statewide bagging competition.

The conference, according to Davis, will also address many issues currently faced by the food industry in Utah, including working with consumers, the future of the retail industry, and artificial intelligence, and what implications there are for grocery stores, convenience stores, pharmacies and others. As well as discussing the future, however, Davis said that the conference will also be celebrating the past. 

This includes the achievements of the Call to Action Foundation, which has raised millions of dollars toward assisting with the unaffordable housing crisis in Utah. As well, the Association will be inducting one more into their Hall of Fame – Monte Peterson, of Peterson’s Marketplace in Riverton. As owner and operator of the market, Peterson learned from a young age the importance of delivering quality products and service to the community. 

Rounding out the conference will be the Best Bagging contest. This competition, hosted annually, recognizes the best, and quickest bagger in the state. These employees come from all over to demonstrate their skills in bagging groceries, and not just for the title of best bagger in the state. The winner of the competition will head to Las Vegas and compete for the title of the best bagger in the nation.

The 2024 Utah Food Industry Association conference here in Davis goes to show just how key this county is to the entire state. From industry and agriculture to small businesses and culture, Davis has proved time and time again that this county is the spot to be.