High interest, attendance anticipated for PMA Fresh Summit
The produce industry's return to sunny central Florida is expected to make it the largest ever East Coast Fresh Summit and the biggest expo.
"Where bright ideas take root" and "Where bright ideas blossom" are the themes of the Produce Marketing Association's Fresh Summit Convention & Expo scheduled for Oct. 14-16 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla.
More than 20,000 fresh produce industry people are expected to visit the land of theme parks, higher than the 19,333 that attended the Atlanta show in 2015, a record for East Coast attendance.
In 2010, the last time the industry trekked to the vacation hot spot, 18,284 walked the trade show floor, attended sessions and met industry colleagues at receptions and meetings.
"We get our best East Coast attendance in Orlando because Florida is an important geography for the fresh produce and floral industry, and a popular destination in its own right," said Cathy Burns, PMA's president. "Fresh Summit is Fresh Summit wherever it is held. Its value and energy comes from the event itself being the premier place for the entire global fresh produce and floral supply chains to make connections, build relationships, see new trends and innovations, and grow business."
In 1983, the first Fresh Summit, Bryan Silbermann, PMA's president and CEO, attended as a PMA staffer attracted 3,800 participants and 370 booths.
This year, more than 1,000 companies plan to exhibit at the Oct. 15-16 trade show, which would make the expo the largest ever, he said.
The Orlando show is expected to be Silbermann's last Fresh Summit as he plans to retire in January.
The Newark, Del.-based organization plans to honor his service at the show.
"It's incredible to have witnessed how the industry has grown alongside PMA," Silbermann said. "More important than growth in size of Fresh Summit is the growth of the produce and floral industries' sophistication and business acumen."
Capturing sales data hardly existed in 1983 and price look-up numbers and UPCs have catapulted supply chain efficiencies since.
The industry's ability to cope and thrive in the face of external forces such as food safety has strengthened and advances including establishing the Center for Produce Safety and the Center for Growing Talent follow PMA's efforts to bring the global supply chain together to unite around challenges, share best practices and exchange ideas to build demand, Silbermann said.
"Anytime you can get over 20,000 people from the global fresh produce and floral supply chain all in one place with the same purpose, that's an exciting time," said incoming PMA chairman John Oxford, CEO of L&M in Raleigh, N.C. "It will be great to be back in Orlando. The show is the premier place for the fresh produce and floral industries to make connections, build relationships, see new trends and grow their businesses. As an exhibitor and participant every year, it's always beneficial for L&M."
Last year, one of every three attendees represented management personnel from general manager to CEO.
The show also included 60% of the top 25 global produce retail chains, according to PMA.
Representatives from more than 60 countries are also to make the show.
"International continues to grow for us," said outgoing PMA chairman Russ Mounce, vice president of produce and floral and divisional merchandising manager of Bentonville, Ark.-based Sam's Club. "It's such a global business.
"We are excited to be back in Orlando. Fresh Summit is almost like an 'ideation' environment where we get to see many different things and generate ideas. Whether you have it in Florida, California or any other place, it's always good to see."
In their Oct. 14 state of the industry address, Burns and Silbermann plan to examine international challenges and trends facing the industry.
The annual talk, scheduled during a brunch general session, will also include Silbermann reviewing how the industry has advanced during his tenure and look at challenges the industry should prepare for in the future.
"We have many business reasons to gather at Fresh Summit, and there's an underlying current of personal connections that make this industry so vibrant," Burns said.
The show also includes receptions and 15 educational sessions organized around global connections, science and technology, industry talent, floral, and issues leadership communities of interest.
"The buzz of Fresh Summit starts months in advance," Burns said. "When you consider that Fresh Summit is where companies unveil new products, announce their big news, reconnect with industry friends, greet supply chain partners face-to-face and are treated to the best-tasting and most beautiful fresh produce and floral in the world on the expo floor, it truly is an unparalleled experience to be a part of."
Last year was the first Fresh Summit Plant City, Fla.-based Grimes Produce Co. LLC exhibited.
"It was a great format and the show went well," said Shawn Butler, salesman. "We met domestic retail customers and some international opportunities presented themselves. I love how everyone in the industry is all together at the show."
A PMA online brochure is available at http://bit.ly/2bJGRi6.
Information on the Fresh Summit mobile app can be found at http://bit.ly/2bc49e9.
Read more about Fresh Summit at http://bit.ly/1NkxaCo.
