Ignite 2026 Sets New Attendance Record as Independent Retailers Gather to Learn, Collaborate, and Shape the Future of Retail

NASHVILLE, Tenn. ECRS®, the leader in retail automation, welcomed a record-breaking crowd to Ignite 2026, the company’s annual Retail Success Conference, held August 2-5 in Nashville, Tennessee. 

Retail professionals from 41 U.S. states, Puerto Rico, Canada, Jamaica, and the Bahamas came together for four days of education, networking, and collaboration centered on helping independent retailers not only compete but thrive in a rapidly evolving marketplace.

Building a Community of Collaboration

Ignite once again demonstrated the strength of the CATAPULT® Community. Retailers, industry partners, and ECRS team members gathered with a shared commitment to exchanging ideas, solving challenges together, and exploring new opportunities through technology-driven retail innovation. 

“We started Ignite to form a community,” said Pete Catoe, Founder and CEO of ECRS. “We wanted to bring everybody together to share ideas. People understand the true spirit of what we’re building together, and that’s why it keeps growing.”

A Dynamic Knowledge Sharing Event

Throughout the week, attendees participated in more than 50 educational sessions led by ECRS experts, industry partners, and CATAPULT retailers. Sessions focused on practical strategies, emerging technologies, and proven approaches to operational excellence. Retailers also experienced hands-on demonstrations of the latest ECRS innovations, including CATAPULT Cognition, the CATAPULT Loyalty Suite, AutoScale Max G3, point-of-sale advancements, back-office solutions, and other emerging technologies shaping the future of retail. 

More than 80 ECRS team members were on-site, creating opportunities for meaningful conversations and direct collaboration with retailers. That accessibility, combined with peer-to-peer learning and open dialogue, continues to define the Ignite experience. 

One of the week’s highlights was a series of retailer store tours at Nashville-based Turnip Truck Natural Market, recipient of the 2026 CATAPULT Community Champion Award. The tours gave attendees an opportunity to see CATAPULT operating in a live retail environment while learning directly from fellow independent retailers who are successfully leveraging technology to support growth, efficiency, and community engagement. 

Recognizing the CATAPULT Community

A cornerstone of Ignite each year is the Awards Ceremony, where ECRS recognizes retailers and partners whose leadership, innovation, collaboration, and commitment strengthen the CATAPULT Community. The awards celebrate individuals and organizations that not only achieve success themselves, but also help others succeed through knowledge sharing, mentorship, testing new innovations, and contributing feedback that advances the entire community. 

Ignite 2026 Award Recipients 

Lifelong Learner Awards 

Joseph Kerekes, Basil Bandwagon Natural Market 

Amber McKinnon & John Akins II, Akins Fresh Market 

Carl Palmer, Clark’s Nutrition 

CATAPULT Community Champion Award 

The Turnip Truck 

Lighthouse Award 

Littleton Food Co-op 

One of Us Awards 

Jacob Howard, Farmer Joe’s 

Luis Torres Jr., Latin Market Development Retail Systems 

Golden Ambassador Award 

Cliff’s Country Market 

“Together, We Win” Partner Awards 

National Co-op Grocers

The Beresford Company 

True North Leader Award 

Coborn’s Inc. 

Retailer of the Year 

Erewhon Market 

The conference’s highest honor, Ignite 2026 Retailer of the Year, was awarded to Erewhon Market. 

Erewhon has consistently demonstrated what it means to leverage technology as a strategic advantage. As one of the most innovative and forward-thinking retailers in the grocery retail industry, they have embraced CATAPULT as a critical component of their continued growth and operational excellence. Their commitment to optimizing processes, improving visibility into their business, and delivering an exceptional customer experience reflects the spirit of intelligent retailing that this award celebrates. – ECRS 

An Evergreen Commitment

Reflecting on the event’s broader impact, ECRS President Caroline Catoe highlighted the value of lasting partnerships across the CATAPULT Community. 

“I think long-term relationships are not something you see as often anymore, and to build those, and do them well, is really something special.” 

As attendance, participation, and community engagement continue to grow, Ignite remains a reflection of ECRS’ belief that the future of independent retail is built through partnership. By bringing retailers together to learn from one another, share experiences, and help shape future innovations, ECRS continues its mission of empowering independent retailers with the technology, expertise, and community they need to succeed. 

Interested in attending in 2027? Fill out the form to join the waitlist and receive Ignite 2027 updates.

About ECRS

Family-owned since 1989, ECRS is a Certified Evergreen® retail transactions and artificial intelligence solutions provider, offering simple, practical solutions that unify operations and empower independent retailers to thrive. ECRS’ revolutionary CATAPULT® POS platform, powered by Unified Transaction Logic®, is the market’s only truly unified transaction platform that seamlessly connects all retail touchpoints. With CATAPULT, all retail touchpoints—including point of sale, back office, self-checkout, deli scale, fuel pump, pharmacy, inventory, loyalty, eCommerce, and enterprise management—share one single transactional logic. Unifying hardware, software, and services, ECRS offers friction-free, cost-saving solutions that make advanced automation accessible while transforming the consumer experience.