News

Distributors

Register online today. Marketplace is the premier national conference and trade show exclusively for the wholesale distributors of convenience products.

• Pay one low rate per company to register as many company personnel as desired.
  • Connect with top trading partners and solution providers during the trade show.
  • Learn from expert and noteworthy presenters in timely education sessions focusing on the economy, industry trends, AI, and more!
  • Participate in the Distributor Showcase* for a unique opportunity for manufacturers to visit with wholesale distributor members beyond the trade show.
  • Network at receptions and celebrate an industry peer at the All-Star Dinner.

Exhibitors

• Exhibit space at Marketplace 2027 is nearly sold out. Secure your space now.
• If your company has already reserved exhibit space, booth assignments will be shared soon, and the 2027 planning guide will be emailed to your designated team lead in mid-October.

Please reach out to eventsupport@cdaweb.net with any questions.

Marketplace Website | Distributor Registration | Exhibit Space Registration
Schedule | Education | Hotel and Travel

*The distributor showcase is for CDA member distributors only. Participation is required.
By attending Marketplace 2027, you agree to the CDA Notices & Disclaimers.

The Senate Agriculture Committee met on Sept. 16, 2026, to pass the “Farm Bill 2.0” out of committee by a vote of 12-11 along party lines. Despite Democratic opposition, the bill was able to move forward once Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) returned to the panel this week. The business meeting comes after the committee failed to advance the legislative package in a 10-11 vote in August, with all Democrats opposing it. The House passed its version of the farm bill at the end of April. Read more here.

On Sept. 16, 2026, the House Energy and Commerce Committee held a full committee markup of 16 bills to enhance American technological development and strengthen communications networks. Those bills included the Packaging and Claims Knowledge (PACK) Act of 2025 - H.R. 6832, the Recycled Materials Attribution Act - H.R. 7502, and the Nitrous Oxide Safety Act of 2026 - H.R. 7945. All 16 bills were approved and reported to the full House. Read more here.

On Sept. 16, 2026, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee held a hearing to consider the nominations of Chris Klomp to be Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services and Nicole Saphier to be Medical Director in the Regular Corps of the Public Health Service and Surgeon General of the Public Health Service. Saphier reported investments in companies including McDonald's Corp. and tobacco company Philip Morris International Inc., and plans to divest from those holdings if she is confirmed, according to her ethics agreement. Several senators questioned Saphier about her stance on smoking and vaping following the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) decision to approve several flavored e-cigarette products in May. Saphier said she sees value in flavored vapes as a potential off-ramp for adult smokers, but understands concerns about access for children. Saphier said she opposes smoking broadly and as a physician she doesn’t “want anyone smoking anything.”

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) issued a rule on Feb. 13, 2026, restricting non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses primarily to H-2A, H-2B and E-2 visa holders. The rule is being challenged by CDL drivers together with AFSCME and the American Federation of Teachers. At oral arguments on Sept. 15, 2026, they argued that FMCSA lacked evidence for excluding other legally present drivers and that its visa exceptions and concerns about state processing were irrational; FMCSA argued that the rule addresses unavailable foreign driving records and licensing errors. The D.C. Circuit will determine whether to uphold, invalidate or return the rule to FMCSA, but it has not announced a decision date. Read more here.

During the 38th annual National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, CDA proudly recognizes the dedicated drivers behind the wheel, and behind every delivery that keeps our industry moving forward.

CDA is also celebrating the future of the profession by supporting the industry’s next generation of drivers through CDA’s The Drive to Thrive: CDL Scholarship Program. This initiative provides employees of CDA distributor member companies with up to $5,000 towards CDL training, helping them grow their careers and become commercial truck drivers.

Nominations will open again in 2027 – start thinking now about the employees who could fuel your company’s future. Click here to learn more about the scholarship and view the 2026 winners to see the impact of this program in action.

Loews Arlington Hotel
Arlington, TX
February 22-24, 2027

Exhibit space is selling fast. Register online today!

Register now to increase your opportunity of being assigned a preferred booth location through the CDA priority point system. The CDA priority point system expires July 31. Exhibit space is assigned on a first-come first-served basis after July 31.

Marketplace brings together distributors with their top trading partners and suppliers over a three-day period, featuring:

• a one-day turnkey trade show
• focused education sessions
• distributor showcase
• and networking opportunities

Attendee registration opens September 14.

By exhibiting at Marketplace 2027, you agree to the CDA Notices & Disclaimers and Exhibitor Terms & Conditions.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that Bret Koplow, an attorney and career FDA official, will become director of the FDA's Center for Tobacco Products (CTPP). Koplow has been serving as the acting director of the Center for Tobacco Products.

Last week, Richard Owen, CDA president and CEO, visited members across Texas in is his continued effort to build relationships, learn about issues affecting the industry and discuss future trends and opportunities.

The trip began at Texas Wholesale in Dallas, TX, where Owen met with leadership and discussed a variety of topics. At Core-Mark International, Inc.'s headquarters in Westlake, TX, Owen was treated to a tour of the company's Center of Excellence, a state-of-the-art collaboration space for retailers to combine forward-thinking consumer trends with empirical data to improve their businesses.

Owen's next stop was at Grocery Supply Company's Fall Show Foodservice Showcase in Allen, TX, where he met with the leadership team and walked the show floor. He then traveled to McLane Company, Inc. in Temple, TX, where he toured the company's Southwest Distribution Center and met with the McLane team to discuss future trends impacting convenience and how CDA can provide value.

Thank you to our CDA member companies for your hospitality and support. Your engagement and feedback help us strengthen our programs and events while creating new opportunities that deliver value and meet the evolving needs of our members.

At Core-Mark International, Inc.'s Center of Excellence are (l-r) Richard Owen, CDA; and Jaime McLean, Bill Stein and Jeremiah Fralic, Core-Mark.	At Grocery Supply Company's (GSC) Fall Show Foodservice Showcase are (l-r) John Prickette and Ryan McKenzie, GSC; Owen, CDA; and Teresa Reynolds, Mikey McKenzie and Robert Cody, GSC.
Left to right are Pureza Guevara and Farooq Wazirali, Texas Wholesale; Owen, CDA; and Kavish Wazirali and Laila Ali, Texas Wholesale.	At McLane Company, Inc.'s headquarters are Owen, CDA; and Cassandra Matos, McLane.

On Sept. 1, 2026, President Trump announced the selection of Darrell Scott to be the tobacco health adviser for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Scott is a pastor and advocate for “America’s Underserved Communities.” Read more here.

On Sept. 2, 2026, Altria Group, Inc. and other plaintiffs filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in a Texas federal district court seeking to set aside the agency’s current system of reviewing pre-market tobacco applications and require the agency to develop a new system.

The lawsuit was filed due to continued delays in the FDA reviewing and finalizing actions on pending pre-market tobacco applications, which has been one factor in the growth of an illicit market in non-authorized tobacco products. Read more here.

CDA is pleased to announce the addition of Emily Smith to its staff in the newly created position of manager, sales and member engagement. Emily brings more than eight years of experience in association management, strategic partnerships, member engagement, sponsorships, advertising and events. She has built and managed corporate relationships, supported non-dues revenue growth and worked across teams to strengthen engagement and deliver value. Emily is a graduate of Georgia State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications.

Emily will lead efforts to grow and deepen CDA’s relationships with members, prospective members, sponsors, and industry partners. Her role includes driving membership growth and retention, expanding sponsorship and advertising opportunities, supporting event participation and revenue, and identifying new ways for members and partners to engage with CDA. She will also work closely with the team to strengthen outreach, track engagement and sales opportunities, and ensure CDA continues to deliver meaningful value to its members and partners.

CDA also welcomes J.P. Dowd, vice president at Van Scoyoc Associates, as CDA policy advisor, taking over for Kathee Facciano, who recently left the organization. J.P. began his career working as a military legislative assistant for Senator Leahy and rose through the ranks to become projects director, legislative director, and ultimately chief of staff for the last 10 years. J.P. then joined Van Scoyoc Associates as vice president in 2023. Originally from Washington, DC, J.P. received his B.A. from the University of Vermont and his M.B.A. from Georgetown University.

J.P. will help lead CDA’s government affairs and advocacy efforts, representing the interests of convenience distributors on key legislative and regulatory issues at the federal level. He will work closely with CDA leadership, members, and industry partners to help shape policy priorities, monitor emerging issues, and strengthen relationships with policymakers and other stakeholders. J.P. will also serve as a key liaison to CDA’s Government Affairs Committee and support member advocacy and engagement through programs including Day on the Hill and the State Association Executives Summit.

On Aug. 28, 2026, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized the marketing of three new e-cigarette products through the premarket tobacco product application (PMTA) pathway. The authorized products are part of the JUUL2 e-cigarette system made by JUUL Labs Inc. and include a tobacco-flavored pod, a menthol-flavored pod, and the JUUL2 device. Read more here.

On Aug. 31, 2026, U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin and U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Sean P. Duffy, joined by federal officials and Angel Families, announced an interagency effort to crack down on fraud and reduce highway fatalities in the trucking industry. The coalition created a Joint Task Force Crossroads of America – a multi-state partnership to secure our highways and strengthen border security. Read more here.

On Sept. 1, 2026, the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade held a markup of 12 bills to strengthen American competitiveness and enhance consumer protections. One of the bills considered, the Nitrous Oxide Safety Act (H.R. 7945), introduced by Reps. Kevin Mullin (D-CA) and Stephanie Bice (R-OK), directs the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to classify retail nitrous oxide products as banned hazardous goods. The Subcommittee advanced all 12 bills to the full Energy and Commerce Committee by voice vote. Read more here.

On Sept. 1, 2026, the House passed a short-term funding bill by a vote of 370-48 to keep the federal government operating through Dec. 11, 2026, avoiding a shutdown before the midterm elections. The Senate approved the measure on Aug. 8, 2026, and the bill was signed by President Trump on Sept. 2, 2026. The bill delays most new federal restrictions on hemp-derived THC products from Nov. 12 to Dec. 11, 2026, and extends federal highway and transit programs through the same date. It does not include a broad Farm Bill extension, although it temporarily renews certain agriculture-related authorities. Congress must still reach a longer-term spending agreement after the elections or face another possible shutdown in December. Read more here.

On Aug. 19, 2026, a three-judge panel at the Fifth ruled that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) overstepped its authority when the agency repeatedly blocked approval of flavored e-cigarette products without a notice-and-comment period for its review standard, holding that the repeated denials constituted a rule that the agency must “rethink” or readopt the regulation properly.

The ruling vacates the FDA’s denials of various e-cigarette product applications, citing FDA’s “comparative-efficacy standard” as a new substantive standard that required notice-and-comment rulemaking under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). According to the judges, this new standard then required FDA to deny any Premarket Tobacco Product Application (PMTA) that lacked a study showing that the product’s benefits to adult smokers outweighed risks for youth. Read more here.

On Aug. 21, 2026, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized the marketing of 11 new nicotine pouch products through the premarket tobacco product application (PMTA) pathway. The authorized products, made by Swedish Match USA, Inc., are sold under the “ZYN ULTRA” brand name and include the following:

On Aug. 26, 2026 the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) issued a temporary order to schedule three 7-hydroxymitragynine-related substances (mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, MGM-15, and MGM-16) in schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, according to the Federal Register notice. The order applies to isomers, esters, ethers, salts, salts of isomers, esters and ethers, and applies until Aug. 26, 2028. The DEA announced the notice of intent to reschedule to substances on July 1, 2026. Read more here.

Monday, September 14, 2026 | 3:45 pm – 4:45 pm ET
King Ballroom, Conference Center, 1st Floor

With the FDA's Food Traceability Rule relating to Section 204(d) of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) scheduled to go into effect on July 20, 2028, now is the time to prepare. Join six convenience distribution leaders for a panel discussion highlighting different flexible options for implementing the food traceability rule and real-life examples of what distributors should be and are doing now to prepare for compliance. Read more here.

Loumia is a modern, cloud-based technology company helping wholesale distributors simplify operations and grow their businesses. The company's platform brings warehouse management, purchasing, accounts receivable, e-commerce, cash-and-carry and customer ordering into one connected system. Powerful tools like digital picking, expiration date tracking, integrated payments and marketing integrations help teams work faster and with greater accuracy. Loumia is built to replace outdated, disconnected software with a smarter platform that gives distributors real-time visibility and the flexibility to run their business from anywhere.

Contact information for Loumia, Inc. is as follows:

Andrew Foumia
andrew@loumiasystems.com
Loumia, Inc.
15188 W. 8 Mile Road
Oak Park, MI 48237
(248) 232-1830
https://loumiasystems.com