Bound for Boston: NEPC bets on casino hotel for 2023 Produce, Floral & Foodservice Expo

The beauty of a regional show is the convenience. And the familiarity. And the ability to actually see who you want to see.

The New England Produce Council’s Produce, Floral & Foodservice Expo is officially Aug. 21-22, but everything happens within 24 hours.

And for the 2023 version, all the events are at Encore Boston Harbor, technically in Everett, Mass., about a mile from The New England Produce Center in Chelsea, Mass., the area’s main wholesale produce market terminal.

This conference hotel has a glittering casino, high-end boutiques and an eclectic array of restaurants. In 2022, NEPC leaders transitioned the expo headquarters from a downtown convention center to the Omni hotel so that participants could stay at the hotel where all the events are. Activities were condensed to a shorter time span.

“We like to keep it to a one-day show,” NEPC Executive Director Laura Sullivan said. “People loved the convenience of it.

Also in a smaller space of a conference hotel, there’s less room for expo booths, but there will be about 150 exhibitor booths, give or take, she said. 

The other biggest change is the new leadership program for produce and floral managers.

One return participant will be Nelly Czajkowski, organic category manager and quality assurance manager at DiSilva Fruit, part of Arrowfarms, based in Chelsea. Arrowfarms comprises three companies: DiSilva Fruit, Gold Bell and Arrowfarms. Together, the companies source, pack and distribute almost a full line of conventional and organic fruits and vegetables, with a focus on citrus, potatoes and onions. 

Arrowfarms prides itself on creative booths, Czajkowski said. In the past, they’ve had magicians, created an art gallery featuring produce as art and offered an oxygen bar.

“My favorite was when we served ice cream made out of some of our key offerings: avocado, sweet potato and even onion ice cream. People still talk about it,” she said.

The NEPC show is the highlight of Arrowfarms’ trade show season, a show that company representatives have attended since it started more than 23 years ago. At NEPC, the company always books a double booth and encourages employees from all three companies to attend.

“The best part of the show is getting face time with our customers,” Czajkowski said. “It’s a great opportunity to catch up in person and discuss opportunities to grow business.”

Some national retailers attend, but it's really a hotbed of northeastern and Eastern Seaboard retailers, such as Market Basket, Roche Bros., Shaw's and Stop & Shop, Sullivan said.

International sales representative Don Sparks has been attending the show since 2012, said Robin Narron, marketing director and sales support for Nash Produce, a sweet potato grower-packer-shipper based in Nashville, N.C.

Besides the opportunity to interact with customers on a more personal level, Sparks looks forward to learning about new products and packaging innovations, she said.

Nash is an exhibitor at the show.

“Relationship-building is an important part of the business, and it is something we take pride in here at Nash Produce,” Narron said. “Being an exhibitor will not only allow us to maintain current relationships but also cultivate new ones.”

AGENDA

Monday, Aug. 21

• 6-8 p.m. — Cocktail reception

Tuesday, Aug. 22

• 7:45-9 a.m. — Keynote breakfast with surprise consumer expert as guest speaker
• 9:30-11:30 a.m. — Produce Manager Leadership Development Program
• 9:10 a.m. to 4 p.m. — Expo floor open for trade show
• 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. — Buffet lunch
• 1:30-3:30 p.m. — Ice Hockey Celebrity Meet and Greet: Charlie Coyle of the Boston Bruins