International Fresh Produce Association unveils name, organization goals

Cathy Burns and Tom Stenzel, co-CEOs of the International Fresh Produce Association

Despite a glitch that prevented a live YouTube broadcast of the event, top leaders of the new International Fresh Produce Association convened in a video call with more than 20 members of the media to talk about the goals and mission of the new industry group.

Following the decision to merge announced in March, the United Fresh Produce Association and the Produce Marketing Association will fold into the new group in January 2022. During the video call, the co-CEOs of the new association, Cathy Burns and Tom Stenzel, were joined by executive committee members to share new details about the IFPA, including those tabbed for the board of directors.

“We are excited about building this organization, building tomorrow’s association, to address tomorrow’s challenges,” PMA CEO Burns said in the video call.

Leaders said the International Fresh Produce Association will honor the legacies of PMA and United Fresh but won’t be bound by “legacy thinking.”

The board of directors representing market segments for the new association is:

Grower-Shipper: Jeff Huckaby, CEO, Grimmway Enterprises Inc.;
Foodservice: Melissa Ackerman, president and operations director, Produce Alliance;
Fresh-Cut Processor: Raina Nelson, president U.S., Westfalia Fruit Marketing USA LLC;
Wholesaler-Distributor: Tom Brugato, president, Pacific Coast Fruit Co.; and
Retail: Pending.

Directors representing industry expertise:

Finance & Business Management: Michael Castagnetto, president, Robinson Fresh;
Food Safety: Cheryl Enlow, VP of QA and food safety, Renaissance Food Group;
Supply Chain Logistics: Drew Zabrocki, general manager, value chain insights & interoperability, Semios;
Marketing & Merchandising: Abby Prior, SVP sales & marketing, Bright Farms;
Sustainability: Nikki Cossio, founder & CEO, Measure to Improve LLC; and
Technology: James Rogers, CEO, Apeel Sciences.

U.S. Government Relations Director:

Brian Kocher, president and CEO, Castellini Cos.

As previously announced, the executive committee for the new organization includes:

Chairman: Bruce Taylor, CEO, Taylor Farms;
Chairwoman-elect: Laura Himes, DMM produce, Walmart;
Secretary-treasurer: Patrick Vizzone, head of food, beverage & agribusiness, ANZ Banking;
Past chairmen: Danny Dumas, president of Courchesne Larose USA Inc. and Dwight Ferguson, president and CEO of California Agricultural Leadership Foundation; and
Foundation chairwoman: Martha Hilton, VP produce and floral merchandising, Wegman’s.

Kam Quarles, CEO of the National Potato Council, said the International Fresh Produce Association YouTube announcement reflects how complicated it has been to merge two organizations with distinctly different missions.

“When the merger plans became public earlier this year, the major question was “how will the American grower’s voice be supported in an international organization?” Quarles said.

“Brian Kocher is an excellent choice to chair U.S. government relations who recognizes that the path to success in Washington, D.C., requires the support of the U.S. fruit and vegetable producers.”

Bruce Taylor, chairman of the new organization and CEO of Taylor Farms, said he was humbled and excited to work with the board of directors as the group delivers against the seven strategic priorities of the association.

Those priorities are:

Serve all sectors of the global fresh produce and floral supply chains, growing global membership and participation.
Provide expertise and business solutions in food safety, new technology, supply chain management, sustainability, leadership and talent development, business operations, marketing and more.
Conduct government advocacy and leadership to build and maintain a positive business climate in the U.S. and the North American market.
Bring all sectors of a diverse supply chain together to better understand interconnections and support efficiency and profitability throughout the chain.
Engage with global bodies and allied organizations to promote free and fair trade, international harmonization of standards, and worldwide growth in consumption.
Enhance business-to-business sales and marketing connections across the produce and floral supply chains.
Demand creation to inspire consumers to embrace produce and floral products as essential parts of their lives, while increasing profitable sales of members’ products.

During a question-and-answer session, Burns said the combined association will be on a firm financial footing, despite the cancellation of PMA’s Fresh Summit in October.

“We have had great financial management over the many years of our existence,” she said, adding that the new association will continue to create value for members.

Burns said many Fresh Summit exhibitors rolled the money committed to this year’s show to the Global Fresh Produce and Floral Show in October 2022.

“We have strong financial management, strong support from our volunteers, from our member companies, and we’re making sure that we’re using every investment that we have that sets us up for a strong future.”

Another question related to the staffing of the new association, and Burns said the International Fresh Produce Association will have just more than 80 staff members, noting that there will be additional investments in technology, sustainability, food safety and government advocacy roles. A few roles from the two associations were eliminated because of duplication, she said, mostly in “back office” jobs.

Burns said having just one expo for the new association is perhaps the biggest elimination of duplication for the industry.

Taylor was asked about how the new association will play a role when suppliers disagree with buyers on any particular issue.

“One (way) is we’re able to get everybody around the table; we can get the suppliers in, and the buyers at the same table,” he said. “That worked back when we had country of origin labeling concerns back years ago. That’s what the organization brings — we’re not going to pick sides as an organization; we can’t do that because (we’re) all members, and so we bring (suppliers and buyers) together,” he said.

Taylor also said there are a multitude of issues the industry agrees on, from raising consumption to improving distribution, logistics, flavor and shelf life of produce.

Taylor said the new organization will promote industry discussion and progress.

“I can tell you that when the grower community gets all fired up about an issue, they make no progress if they’re the only ones with the table,” he said. Progress only happens when the industry is at the table together, he said.