IFPA Foundation for Fresh Produce, PBH merge
The Foundation for Fresh Produce and Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH) have announced they will combine to further advance fruit and vegetable consumption in America and create the largest global community of advocates for produce, according to a release.
“The produce industry has the potential to provide solutions to many of the greatest challenges we face, especially those around nutrition and hunger,” said Bruce Taylor, CEO of Taylor Farms and chair of the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) Board of Directors, in a release. “Combining the efforts and assets of these two organizations will continue to bolster our efforts to help the world see the importance of investing in health over healthcare, by driving consumption of fruits and vegetables and tapping into the power of our industry to help change the trajectory of human health.”
The Foundation for Fresh Produce is focused on improving the appeal of fruits and vegetables as an integral part of people’s diets, supporting the development and infrastructure and supply chain solutions that increase access, and establishing strategic alliances at the global, national and local levels to enable children and families to form healthier eating habits.
PBH has decades of experience leading the industry to inspire daily consumption of fruits and vegetables and serve the public good. In 2019, PBH launched the award-winning Have A Plant movement and digital ecosystem that it says, has inspired millions of Americans with innovative ways to create new fruit and vegetable consumption behaviors.
In addition, PBH has led research to better understand the latest evidence on fruit and vegetable benefits and to identify realistic behavior-based solutions to help people adopt and sustain habits that can transform their relationships with fruits and vegetables. Most recently, PBH doubled membership in the National Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Coalition and formed the industry’s first-ever Scientific Advisory Council and ambassador network, including esteemed experts from all points of consumer influence, according to a release.
“Bringing these two 501(c)(3)s together not only allows us to further scale proven initiatives to pursue our shared mission, but it also allows us to achieve a unified and powerful voice,” said CarrieAnn Arias, vice president of marketing at Naturipe Farms, and chair of the PBH Board of Trustees. “Today, where public health is at the center of some of our greatest challenges, the advocacy needed to improve nutrition security requires resources and strategic partnerships. Bringing these organizations together is the ultimate collaboration and will position our industry to take on a significant role in increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables.”
The Foundation for Fresh Produce and PBH will deliver even greater impact and value to produce industry members by offering streamlined, cohesive investment opportunities; providing a research-based, consumer-focused platform that can ignite consumption behavior change; and serving the public good, by elevating fruit and vegetable consumption as a global health priority, the release said.
In a separate statement, Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak, president and CEO of Produce for Better Health Foundation, said, “This merger will immediately deliver even greater impact and value to the collective fruit and vegetable industry by providing a research-based, consumer-focused platform that can ignite consumption behavior change as well as elevate fruit and vegetable consumption as a national and global health priority, improving public health and accelerating industry growth.”
PBH will become an integral part of the Foundation for Fresh Produce beginning Jan. 1, 2023. Until then, the organizations will work through a transition period to further align and provide a smooth transition without disruption. PBH recently announced that it will hold its Retail & Foodservice Immersion Event in conjunction with IFPA’s Global Produce and Floral Show in Orlando, Oct. 26-29. The Foundation for Fresh Produce will also host The Race for a Healthier World 5k at the same event.
“With so much misinformation, the opportunity to communicate the benefits of fruits and vegetables is paramount,” said Martha Hilton, vice president of produce and floral at Wegmans, and chair of the Foundation for Fresh Produce. “Combining our two organizations allows us to leverage the PBH recognized and trusted consumer channels and scale some Foundation for Fresh Produce initiatives. Under the Foundation for Fresh Produce, we will be able to galvanize our efforts around the mission of driving consumption to alleviate the many public health and personal wellness challenges that stem from nutrition insecurity.”
Both organizations will provide more information during the transition period, including a list of Frequently Asked Questions. Supporters can continue to make contributions to both organizations, and are encouraged to participate and register for The Race for A Healthier World 5k at this year’s Global Produce and Floral Show. Proceeds from registration and individual donations will benefit the foundation in its work.
