Featuring the theme, “The Marvel of Produce,” the Southeast Produce Council recently wrapped its 2022 Southern Exposure tradeshow and conference.
Held at the Swan & Dolphin Resort in Orlando, Fla., the three-day event, March 3-5, drew more than 500 retail, foodservice and wholesale attendees, along with 275 exhibitors, reports SEPC.
While COVID-19 restrictions appear to be in the rear-view mirror, marketers said there is concern about maintaining fresh produce demand in a time of rising prices for fuel and food.
Within the context of rising prices in packaging, labor, inputs and freight, one industrywide concern on the minds of marketers is consumer reaction to higher prices, said Mayda Sotomayor, CEO of Greenyard USA/Seald Sweet, Vero Beach, Fla.
“The produce business is tough enough,” she said. “You don’t need all these other things piled on top.”
The possibility of fresh produce demand backing off with higher prices at retail is an ongoing concern for the whole industry, she said.
However, Sotomayor said U.S. consumers may be able to “stretch” their food dollars easier than Europeans, she said, noting that U.S. consumers are better equipped to handle higher prices. Sotomayor said the Russian invasion of Ukraine could further disrupt the food supply chain in Europe and the U.S.
Even so, Sotomayor said the power of retail promotions is as strong as ever.
“We still believe that retailers are the force to sell product through the system and not to create waste,” she said.
