New York Produce Show set for Dec. 9-11, virtually for now

“Uncertainty” is one of the buzzwords of 2020, but trade show organizers and participants are planning as much as possible with ever-changing local guidelines.

New York City, with its densely packed 8.6 million residents and prior designation as the epicenter of the coronavirus at its local peak in April, has had some of the strictest quarantine rules in the U.S.

It’s no surprise, then, that the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in Manhattan contacted the New York Produce Show and Conference organizers in October, exercising the event contract’s option to reschedule show dates. 

The center’s request was due to the state COVID-19 pandemic re-opening guidance, said Susan McAleavey Sarlund, executive director of the Eastern Produce Council, show co-sponsor. 

In late November, Manhattan remained in Phase 4, which prohibits gatherings of more than 50 people.

Instead of postponing the show until sometime in early or mid-2021, organizers decided to present a virtual show on the originally scheduled dates. 

The show will be presented Dec. 9-11 on an online platform, with the virtual expo Dec. 10, Sarlund said.

“There’s an exciting piece to this. This year will be a show that will highlight marketers and other companies year-round, and the virtual platform will be available throughout the year,” Sarlund said. “This is a year of finding the silver linings.”

The online show will continue “on demand,” 24 hours a day for the whole year through the live event next December. Marketing, merchandising, management and procurement events will be scheduled throughout the year.

Also, exhibitors who paid for the 2020 in-person show will have their investment transferred to the 2021 in-person New York Produce Show and will be able to participate in the 2020 virtual event at no extra charge. 

“We’re grateful for the continued support of our 2020 exhibitors,” Sarlund said.

This will be the first virtual show for Nash Produce, Nashville, N.C., said Rebecca Scott, grower accounting and marketing manager.

“We plan to learn along with everyone else. We are currently working on ‘creating our booth’ within the expo portal and plan to have photos of our products and services. There may even be a video of our production, showing our sweet potatoes from farm to fork,” Scott said.

Nash had been signed up for the 2020 physical show since registration opened after the 2019 event.

“Due to the pandemic and the concern for the health of all produce professionals, we appreciate that (the) New York Produce team is allowing us to take a stab at a virtual show,” Scott said. 

Agenda details with specific companies and speakers were not available in mid-November. Typically, the schedule includes a keynote breakfast with a thought leader panel, several educational micro-sessions, chef demonstrations, cocktail receptions, the expo, bus tours and a foodservice forum.

Scott said she hopes to check in with as well as update the Nash company page periodically throughout the year. 

“Of course, we will miss having that in-person interaction with our customers but are confident that we will be able to be united once again very soon,” she said. 

“As this year has proved, a lot can occur over a year timeframe.”

The next in-person show is scheduled for Dec. 13-17, 2021, at the Javits Center, with the expo on Dec. 15, Sarlund said.

For questions, contact show organizers at exhibit@nyproduceshow.com or 212-426-2218.