The International Fresh Produce Association coordinated a series of “speed dating” meetings in late February to connect produce companies with school foodservice officials from several U.S. school districts.
With 11 school districts participating, and just as many produce companies, IFPA helped to facilitate more than 120 meetings as part of the two-day event, according to a news release. The program, also referred to as a School Foodservice Partner X-Change, connects buyers and sellers for 15-minute meetings, all coordinated virtually over Zoom, the release said.
School administrators get to ask questions and share information about a range of topics including menu planning, procurement, packaging needs, and their interest in nutrition education and other materials that provide greater insight into where and how certain produce is grown, according to the release. Produce suppliers share their knowledge of the industry, while also highlighting their company’s capabilities and products, including bulk produce, fresh-cut items, ordering processes and more.
“This program brings together audiences that often do not speak with each other, bridging the gap to better understand school foodservice needs and interests,” Andrew Marshall, IFPA’s staff liaison for wholesaler-distributor members and lead staffer on engagement opportunities with the K-12 school nutrition community, said in the release. “Increasing the variety of fresh produce that students are exposed to at school is a shared priority, and this ‘speed dating’ program is helping to jump-start these types of conversations, new ideas and new partnerships.”
In addition to traditional grower-shippers and fresh-cut processors, this year’s program included companies that provide schools with small-scale kitchen equipment for peeling and processing fruits and vegetables in-house, as well as a company that’s working with schools to provide vertical hydroponic growing towers with an accompanying nutrition education curriculum, the release said.
“As a company that services a range of foodservice customers, we value these meetings as an opportunity for interaction with school menu planners, many of whom are looking for new, on-trend slaws and veggie blends that mimic what their students see at local quick-serve and other restaurant formats,” Crystal Chavez, marketing manager for Gold Coast Packing, said in the release. “Sharing about our produce, where it’s grown, the importance of packaging technology to achieve maximum freshness, and then learning about how the schools plan their menus and prepare meals, we know we can be a solution for them.”
To build upon this mid-year virtual program, IFPA is once again planning to coordinate a K-12 School Forum programming track at the Foodservice Conference, July 25-26 in Monterey, Calif., the release said. This summer program is focused on supporting school menu planners to source, serve and promote fresh fruits and vegetables to children at school. School foodservice leaders from across the country will participate in IFPA’s conference sessions, explore new products at the expo, tour nearby growing fields, and connect with existing and new suppliers, according to the release.
For additional information about the K-12 School Foodservice Partner X-Change and other programs and resources for school foodservice operators, contact Andrew Marshall, wholesaler-distributor relations and external partnerships, at 202-303-3407.
