IGD Future of Category Leadership 2026

Presentation:

IGD will unveil its 2030 Blueprint for Category Leadership, informed by a year of convening industry leaders to explore how collaboration can drive sustainable category growth and elevate shopper value. Drawing on these insights and IGD’s bespoke benchmarking, the keynote outlines the core capabilities and partnerships needed to lead the category agenda in the decade ahead.

Attendees will gain:

Priority access to IGD’s 2030 Blueprint for Category Leadership. Attendees will leave with a strategic roadmap to lead the category agenda with confidence and impact.

Fireside chat:

We open with a candid 1-to-1 conversation with a senior retail leader, offering an inside view of how category priorities are shifting and what great category leadership looks like from a retailer’s perspective. From changing shopper expectations to the capabilities and partnerships retailers value most, this discussion sets the scene for understanding the evolving demands on today’s category teams.

Case study:

Building on the retailer perspective, this case study brings those themes to life through a real example of retailer–supplier collaboration that delivered tangible results. It highlights the practical decisions, behaviours, and ways of working that enabled success, offering a concrete look at effective partnership in action.

Panel:

With both strategic context and a real-world example established, the session culminates in a panel featuring category directors from leading retailers and suppliers. Together, they will unpack what successful partnership truly looks like in today’s fast-moving market - exploring evolving retailer needs, the hallmarks of effective category leadership, and the collaborative behaviours that create mutual value.

Attendees will gain:

Practical insight into how both sides can work smarter, align more closely, and drive sustainable category growth.

Case study:

The role and definition of categories are changing, and brands need to think more creatively about how their brands show up in differing shopper environments. In this session we will hear the story of how the opportunity has been embraced to stretch brands into new spaces and some tips you can take away to ensure marketing and innovation teams are thinking beyond the borders of traditional category definitions to find growth in new spaces.

Attendees will gain:

First hand knowledge of the mindsets, strategies, and bold decisions that fuel true category transformation.

Panel:

This panel brings together founders of breakthrough brands that have reshaped their categories in recent years. They will share how they spotted unmet shopper needs, identified white-space opportunities, and built distinctive propositions that cut through crowded markets. The discussion will explore the realities of scaling an idea into a disruptive brand - one capable of shifting category dynamics, resetting shopper expectations, and prompting established players to rethink their approaches.

Attendees will gain:

First-hand knowledge of the mindsets, strategies, and bold decisions that fuel true category transformation.

Panel:

As the food and grocery sector continues to evolve, so too must the skills of category leaders. This session will distil the capabilities and mindsets that will matter most in the years ahead — from using insight more efficiently and effectively across multiple data sources, to creating the headspace, skills and confidence to focus on more strategic category development.

We will explore how category leadership is shifting beyond analysis and execution, to play a central role in wider business growth strategies. From sharper commercial and analytical thinking, to deeper shopper understanding, stronger collaboration and greater confidence with new technologies, this panel will examine what future-ready category leadership really looks like.

Attendees will gain:

A clear view of the capabilities and mindsets that will define successful category leadership in the years ahead.

Case study: Winning in an integrated omni‑channel world

A practical, real‑world example demonstrating how a leading brand or retailer is using omni‑channel tools - such as digital shelf analytics, in‑store behavioural data, personalised media, and fulfilment optimisation - to deliver consistent and category‑enhancing shopper experiences. This session will highlight:

• How shopper journeys cross physical and digital environments

• Which technologies are proving most powerful for understanding and influencing shoppers across touchpoints

• The commercial impact: growth levers, barriers, and measurable results

• What made the transformation successful (and what didn’t)

Panel Discussion: The next evolution of omni‑channel – what category teams need to prepare for

A forward‑looking, expert-led conversation exploring:

• Emerging technologies shaping omni‑channel retail (AI personalisation, real-time pricing, digital shelf automation, augmented in‑store experiences)

• How shopper expectations and behaviours are evolving

• The new rules of execution across formats and missions

• How suppliers and retailers can collaborate more effectively across physical and digital estates

• The capability gaps: commercial, cultural, and organisational

Attendees will gain:

Clear inspiration and practical guidance on how omni‑channel excellence can drive category growth today. And a realistic, future-focused understanding of how omni‑channel will redefine category strategies, collaboration, and ways of working in the years ahead.

Case study: Using advanced analytics and AI to unlock category growth

A deep dive into how one business has transformed category insight through advanced analytics, AI‑driven modelling, or predictive tools, to include:

• How new data sources (loyalty, real-time behaviours, missions, media, macro signals) are being combined to create richer shopper understanding

• How AI is enhancing insight generation, scenario planning, and decision-making

• Where the biggest commercial wins are emerging: assortment, pricing, missions, activation

• The critical enablers: clarity of objectives, capability building, and cross‑functional alignment

Case study: What’s next for data & insight – cutting through the hype

A comprehensive, expert-led exploration addressing:

• The data sources that will matter most in the next 3–5 years

• The role of generative AI and automation in category management

• How to balance advanced analytics with human judgement

• The skills and operating models tomorrow’s category teams will need

Attendees will gain:

A pragmatic understanding of how to harness the next wave of insight technologies while maintaining strategic focus and commercial discipline.

Fireside chat:

This closing fireside chat brings in a transformative leader from outside food and grocery to share how they’ve driven change in their sector - from rethinking customer value to leading teams through rapid innovation. Offering fresh, practical perspectives that cut across industries, this session will challenge assumptions and highlight the mindsets, behaviours, and bold decisions category leaders can apply to fuel breakthrough performance in their own organisations.

Attendees will gain:

Practical insight into mindsets, behaviours, and bold strategies that category leaders can apply immediately to drive breakthrough performance.

• Access to IGD’s latest category leadership research, including exclusive insights shaping the Blueprint for Category Leadership in 2030

• A full day of future-focused content: keynotes, fireside chats, panels and real-world case studies

• Practical frameworks and tools to strengthen category visions, selling stories and partnerships

• Clear guidance on retailer expectations in today’s performance-driven environment

• Networking with 300+ senior professionals across category, commercial and insight roles

• Actionable takeaways you can apply immediately to future-proof your capability

To encourage broader representation across the value chain, we offer a discounted rate for eligible organisations, including:

• Small manufacturing businesses with global turnover under £10m

• Government organisations or NGOs

• Registered charities

How to apply:

Place your order via the booking form and email your annual global turnover, charitable status or company information, to [email protected], or contact us with any questions.

Not an IGD Member? Join IGD and save up to £1,400 per individual across the year, while unlocking year-round access to insight, tools and industry expertise.

Join IGD today.

Partnership offers a powerful way to:

• Ensure delegate representation among a highly relevant audience

• Elevate your brand in front of category managers from suppliers and manufacturers across the value chain

• To get in touch about partnership opportunities, contact Vikki Curle.

• This event is a physical 1-day event designed to strengthen capability to drive category growth

• There will be keynote speeches from key influences, fireside chats, case studies, and panels with industry leaders and disruptive brand founders

The Future of Category Leadership conference is being held at CodeNode 10 South Pl, London EC2M 7EB.

Most attendees opt for business casual, we would certainly suggest comfortable shoes as you move around the venue.

Yes, abridged slides, subject to receiving permission to share, will be available to view within 5 working days of the event ending. You will receive an email once slides are accessible via your MyEvents section of IGD.com.

All communications regarding the event will be sent via [email protected]. If you feel you have missed any communications, please reach out to [email protected]

A reminder of our refund policy:

• Over 30 days notice - Full refund

• 15 - 30 days notice - 50% refund

• Less than 15 days notice - No refund

If you wish to transfer your ticket to a colleague, this is free of charge, please send over their details as well as those of the individual they will be replacing, to [email protected]. Please make sure the request is with us one week prior to the event to ensure access to the event app.

Name changes remain free of charge, we do ask that your request is with us one week prior to the event date, to enable access to our event app. Name changes must be made in writing to [email protected].

A receipt will be sent to your company’s finance department once your order has been processed. If you would like a copy, please send your order number & request to [email protected].

We are committed to providing a welcoming and inclusive event experience for all attendees. If you have an accessibility-related requirement or request for this event, please let us know in your registration profile (which you’ll be sent once your ticket has been purchased).

For more information, please contact [email protected].

Inclusion and diversity are fundamental to our culture at IGD. The following measures are in place to support attendees feel included at our events:

• Include your gender pronoun on your badge, via your registration profile (which you’ll be sent, once your ticket has been purchased).

• A dedicated inclusion and diversity room will be available, please do email [email protected], for further details.

IGD is committed to providing safe and secure environments for our attendees. All local and national authority guidance and regulations will be adhered to by IGD and the venue team.

We are dedicated to minimising our environmental impact wherever possible, the following measures are in place to continue our mission in this area:

• Access to our interactive Event App.

• Using recycled, recyclable, and biodegradable materials where possible.

• Minimising food waste.

• Monitoring and reducing our carbon footprint year on year.

You can help support this mission by considering the following options:

• Travel by public transport to the event.

• Reduce travel for meetings: Utilise your time in London to conduct other meetings around this event.

• Lanyard reuse: Please drop your badge and lanyard back to us at the end of the day, so we can clean and reuse this.

General enquiries – [email protected]