Four industry members are cleaning up in preparation for the Viva Fresh Expo in April.
In connection to author-TV personality-physician Ian Smith’s appearance at Viva Fresh, the quartet are changing their diets to become healthier, according to a news release.
They are:
- Tommy Wilkins, director of sales for Grow Farms Texas, Donna;
- Ed Bertaud, director of retail sales for IFCO RPC North America, based in San Antonio;
- Jed Murray of Tenanza Organics, McAllen, Texas; and
- Michelle Cortez, sales manager at Empacadora GAB, McAllen.
The four have accepted a Clean Eating Challenge, and Smith will work with them to tailor a plan “based on their goals, health challenges, and the results of their physicals,” according to the release.
Smith, the Viva Fresh keynote speaker on May 1, will unveil the results of their challenge, and they will join him on stage to talk about their experiences.
Industry member can follow their progress on the Viva Fresh website.
“There’s been a global rise in clean eating causing consumers from all age groups to embrace a plant-based diet,” Dante Galleazzi, president and CEO of Viva Fresh presenter Texas International Produce Association, said in the release. “But growers are often removed from these trends creating a disconnect with the consumers who are buying their produce.”
Through the challenge’s insights, produce industry members can better understand consumer motivations and act upon the clean-eating trend, Galeazzi said.
“This focus on health and wellness really sets Viva Fresh apart from other regional trade shows so we’re looking forward to seeing the results of the Clean Eating Challenge,” Kyle Stevens, vice president of produce for H-E-B, said in the release.
Viva Fresh returns to the JW Marriot Hill Country Resort in San Antonio April 30-May 2.
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