More than 180 exhibitors are preparing to showcase some of their newest and most popular produce offerings at the New England Produce Council Produce, Floral and Food Service Expo, Aug. 17-18, at the Encore Boston Harbor hotel and resort in Everett, Mass. They say they’re looking forward to one-on-one meetings with new and existing produce buyers from around the U.S.
Bland Farms
CEO Troy Bland says Glennville, Ga.-based Bland Farms has exhibited at the NEPC expo for more than two decades.
“It’s become one of the shows we look forward to every year,” he says. “New England buyers ask some of the best questions in the business, and conversations on this show floor have a way of becoming next year’s programs.”
The show is big enough to matter and small enough for real conversations, he says, “which is exactly how Bland Farms prefers to do business as a family company.”
This year, company representatives will talk about Vidalia sweet onions and Bland Farms’ year-round program “that keeps sweetness on the shelf all 52 weeks,” offering Sand Candy sweetpotatoes and Vidalia Brands dressings, seasonings and snacks.
Bland Farms is a rarity in that it operates without a middleman, Bland says.
“We do our own farming, our own packing, our own shipping and our own sales,” he says. “We call it Roots to Retail — one call, one standard, one family accountable for every single box.”
The company was established in 1948, but its operation has made significant progress over the years, adding innovations like laser weeders in its organic fields, artificial intelligence grading on the packing line and building the largest refrigerated sweet onion storage in the industry, Bland says.
Nash Produce
Nashville, N.C.-based Nash Produce plans to showcase its complete lineup of premium Mr. Yam sweetpotato products, highlighted by the newest addition to the Mr. Yam brand — the Murasaki sweetpotato line — at this year’s NEPC expo, says Robin Narron, marketing director and sales support.
Attendees will also see the company’s traditional Covington sweetpotatoes, individually wrapped microwaveable sweetpotatoes, 3- and 5-pound mesh bags, four-count tray packs and bulk offerings, she says.
“The New England Produce Council Expo provides buyers with an excellent opportunity to connect face-to-face with growers, shippers and industry partners in one convenient setting,” Narron says. “It allows them to discover new products, explore innovative packaging and merchandising solutions, gain insight into market trends and strengthen relationships with trusted suppliers.”
These conversations help buyers identify opportunities to grow their produce categories while ensuring they have reliable partners to meet the needs of their customers, she says.
Melissa’s/World Variety
Los Angeles-based Melissa’s/World Variety Produce Inc. has been showing off its myriad specialty produce items at the NEPC expo for about 10 years, says Robert Schueller, director of public relations — and for good reason.
“It’s a great regional produce show where Melissa’s generates a lot of sales,” he says.
The show offers an opportunity to meet up with retail customers and introduce new items and new programs, Schueller says.
As usual, Melissa’s will be touting some new products at the 2026 show. Visitors will be able to check out offerings like “salty, savory and faintly sweet” Melissa’s Avocado Toast Seasoning, Melissa’s Finest Belgian Dark Chocolate Melting Chocolate Wafers (for fruits), Melissa’s Raisins on the Vine and some new Melissa’s Hatch Pepper Essentials, Schueller says.
The company also will present some new merchandising programs, like a tropical fruit program, Asian items, Latin items and some upcoming fall holiday products.
Schueller says a visit to Melissa’s booth might help buyers discover items that could help them add incremental specialty produce sales in the coming season.
Boards Ready to Turn Out for Expo
Representatives from several produce commodity boards will be on hand at the New England Produce Council Produce, Floral and Food Service Expo to boost awareness of the fruits and vegetables marketed by their members.
“[The expo] is an opportunity to come and see pretty much every buyer in New England in one day,” says Laura Sullivan, NEPC executive director. “It’s a good way to represent their members and promote their commodities.”
USA Pears
CarrieAnn Arias, president and CEO of USA Pears, Milwaukie, Ore., will pull double duty at the event. Besides representing Washington and Oregon pear growers, she’ll be moderating a panel discussion during the expo’s first-ever Women’s Program.
USA Pears has been exhibiting at the NEPC for more than 20 years.
“The timing of the show is ideal for us,” Arias says. “It takes place at the very beginning of our season, making it a critical opportunity to establish activations with retailers and build momentum for the months ahead.”
This year, USA Pears will kick off the 2026 pear season with “Bake ’em. Bite ’em. Blend ’em,” a program that focuses on flavor, health and versatility, she says.
“Our display bins and point-of-sale materials are all designed to elevate visibility and drive engagement at retail and will be a critical vehicle for retailers to increase consumption and capitalize on the impulse nature of pears,” Arias says.
National Mango Board
The expo allows the Orlando, Fla.-based National Mango Board “to share consumer insights, merchandising best practices and category trends that can help retailers grow mango sales and increase shopper engagement,” says Lavanya Setia, director of marketing.
“By participating, we strengthen relationships with key decision-makers and continue to support the expansion of the mango category in an important market region,” she adds.
Though the National Mango Board has been a longtime supporter of the NEPC expo and has participated in the expo for several years, the board only recently started exhibiting.
“One of the things we value most about the New England Produce Council expo is the quality of the conversations and the strong sense of community within the produce industry,” Setia says. “The event offers an intimate setting that encourages meaningful discussions with retailers and buyers, making it easier to exchange ideas and identify opportunities for growth and collaboration.”
The mango board, established in 2005, is the U.S. mango industry’s national research and promotion organization, dedicated to increasing awareness and consumption of mangoes in the U.S. through marketing, nutrition and research initiatives, she says.
Idaho Potato Commission
The Eagle-based Idaho Potato Commission finds that the NEPC expo enables the commission to “discuss merchandising opportunities, consumer trends, promotional programs and supply outlooks that help retailers drive potato sales and profitability,” says Ross Johnson, vice president of retail. “It also gives us the opportunity to strengthen existing partnerships.”
Visitors to the commission’s booth this year will have a chance to meet with Matt Zapczynski, Northeast territory manager, who spends about 32 weeks each year visiting retail stores throughout his market, Johnson says.
“That level of in-store experience gives Matt firsthand insight into merchandising trends, display execution, competitive activity and the challenges retailers face every day,” he says. “Rather than offering generic recommendations, he provides practical, data-driven ideas that are grounded in what is actually working in stores across the region.”
“The show is an excellent opportunity to exchange ideas, strengthen partnerships and identify new ways to deliver value to shoppers,” Johnson adds.
The Idaho Potato Commission has been a longtime supporter of the New England Produce Council and has exhibited at the expo for many years, he says.
“We value the relationships we’ve built through the organization and look forward to participating each year,” he says.
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