MONTEREY, CALIF. — Bringing together fresh produce industry professionals with a passion for organics, Organic Produce Summit 2023, held July 12-13, kicked off with field tours and a welcome reception followed by educational sessions and a trade show on Day 2.
Attendees enjoyed the beautiful Monterey weather and networking at the opening reception.
At the trade show on Day 2 of OPS 2023, William Goldfield of Dole remarked on the growth of OPS since COVID-19. “It’s grown a lot. And the attendees are so engaged in wanting to talk about organics.”
Sage Fruit featured its 2-pound bags of Organic Cosmic Crisp apples. “They have been well received,” said Kevin Steiner. “We see growth in conventional and organics. At Sage Fruit, we expect to double our sales of organic apples and pears across the board.” Steiner added that as the Cosmic Crisp trees mature, the flavor profile of the fruit continues to develop.
At Bay Baby Produce, recently promoted Director of Marketing Lindsey Lance showcased the company’s new UPCs with a QR code for all its squash products. The QR code links to recipes and hacks such as baking squash for 20 minutes before trying to cut in half, Lance said.
“We were one of the original sponsors of this show and we knew it was important to support this initiative in the organic community. Little did we know it would grow into this,” said Michael DuPuis of Divine Flavor, pointing to the bustling show floor.
