Our monthly summary of how you can make the most of your Whole Grains Council membership.

WGC November 2017 Member Newsletter
Dear Oldways Whole Grains Council members,

Two weeks ago, Kelly, Cynthia, and Caroline flew over to the Whole Grain Summit in Vienna, Austria to exchange ideas with whole grain researchers, manufacturers, millers, and thought-leaders from 36 countries around the world. The three-day event covered topics related to breeding & technology, communication & regulatory issues, and nutrition & health. In round-table discussions we worked to identify specific actionable tasks to be executed over the next 2-3 years in order to increase whole grain consumption globally. 

The focus and momentum of the group was very inspiring and we'll be updating you regularly about the new partnerships and results that stem from this conference -- and ways you can get involved. 
Sign Up to Have RDs Sample Your Products at Supermarkets in March

For Whole Grain Sampling Day, we're connecting our Oldways network of more than 500 supermarket RDs with manufacturers who are willing to donate whole grain products for the March 28, 2018 sampling event. Last year 18 supermarkets (including ShopRite, Hy-Vee, Hannaford, and Giant Food) partnered with us to host sampling events in 125 grocery locations around the country. 

Supermarket RDs tell us they plan in-store promotions 4 months in advance, so if you're interested in participating or learning more, contact Kelly Toups ( [email protected], 617-896-4884) by December 15. While we can't guarantee which products our Supermarket RDs will choose to sample, we urge everyone interested to contact us ASAP and join the member companies who have already added their names to our list!
Whole Grains Council Conference, November 4-6, 2018, Seattle
 
Save the date for our next Whole Grains Council Conference, less than a year away! Whether you're sponsoring, attending, or both, this is a fantastic opportunity to network and increase visibility for your company and its products. As always, we're planning an agenda filled with cutting-edge trends, industry best practices, and ground-breaking nutrition research from a wide range of experts to share with an audience of leading media, food service operators, chefs, manufacturers, RDs, and scientists. This year's theme, Global Traditions & Trends, will look at grains from local, global, traditional, and innovative perspectives, providing you with a wealth of product and market inspiration.

A big shout-out to Bob's Red Mill as the first sponsor of this conference -- and for their perfect record sponsoring all 8 of our previous whole grains conferences! If you're looking for a way to make new connections -- or you're looking to publicize the creative ways your company is using whole grains -- pledge your support today as a conference sponsor or supporter (more details here). Contact Caroline Sluyter ([email protected], 617-896-4832) for more information. We'd love to schedule a "Listen & Learn" call with you to brainstorm how this conference -- and other WGC activities -- could help drive your whole grain efforts forward. 
Caroline's Tip: Sign Up for Our Product Registration Form Training Workshop, December 6 at 2pm ET

Next week we're hosting a Product Registration Form Training Workshop and we'd love to have you join us! Whether you're new to the Oldways Whole Grains Council, or just feel as though you'd like to brush up on your grain calculation skills, this training has something for everybody. We invite you to join us, via conference call, for about 40 minutes on Wednesday, December 6, starting at 2pm ET. We'll walk you through the registration process, teach you how to calculate Total Grains and Whole Grains amounts, and help you locate other helpful resources on our website.

Reach out to Caroline Sluyter ( [email protected], 617-896-4832) for more information, or to sign up. Pre-registration is essential, as we'll be sending you a PowerPoint file and the conference call number ahead of time. Can't make it on December 6? No problem -- let us know and we can work with you to set up a workshop for your company at a time that's better for you.
Become a Sponsor Partner for Our Supermarket Dietitian Symposium

The Oldways 2018 Supermarket Dietitian Symposium will take place March 18-20, 2018, in San Diego, California. This sister program to the WGC is seeking sponsor partners whose products help consumers add more whole grains to their diets, increase consumption of fruits and vegetables, reduce consumption of red and processed meats, and support sustainability. If you'd like to learn how your company can take advantage of this unique opportunity to network, strategize, collaborate, and share best practices with retail health leaders from the top supermarket chains in the US and Canada, please contact Georgia Orcutt ( [email protected]).
Caroline Sluyter
Stamp Program Manager

Kelly Toups, MLA, RD, LDN
Program Director
[email protected] 

Cynthia Harriman
Director of Food and Nutrition Strategies

... and from all of the Oldways and Whole Grains Council staff
Oldways is a nonprofit food and nutrition education organization inspiring good health through cultural food traditions and lifestyles. The Oldways Whole Grains Council is only one of our many successful programs. Check out our website to learn more. 
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