Seeking to remake itself to appeal to today's more discerning shoppers, the Grocery Manufacturers Association is saluting them in its new name, unveiled Sept. 26: the Consumer Brands Association.

The aim, CEO Geoff Freeman said in a statement, is "to unite the totality of the consumer packaged goods industry around a focused, proactive agenda that aligns with the values of the brands we represent and the consumers they serve."

The new name will take effect in January 2020, along with a new logo of three lower case and overlapping letters.

Freeman joined GMA in 2018 with a mandate to reinvent the organization in response to consumer demand for healthier products. Several major food manufacturers had left the group, wanting to steer clear of GMA's reputation for representing "big food." Association revenue has plummeted from $51 million in 2012 to $20 million in 2018.

"Renaming and rebranding this organization is symbolic of a larger realignment with the CPG industry's consumer-first priorities and our desire to have a more open and transparent dialogue with policymakers, customers and consumers," said Jeff Harmening, chairman of the board and CEO of General Mills.

GMA said its new advocacy agenda is built around "four core pillars." These include more sustainable packaging, building trust in consumer packaged goods and promoting the industry's social and economic impact.

GMA was founded as the Grocery Manufacturers of America in 1908 and took on its present name in 2005.

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