2018 Fresh Summit flashback — PMA registers another successful Fresh Summit

ORLANDO, Fla. — Pulling in about 21,000 attendees from 60 countries, the Produce Marketing Association’s Fresh Summit in Orlando was another success.

Besides a few light-hearted grumbles about the paper-only name tags — plastic sheathing, useful for collecting business cards, was reportedly ditched for sustainability reasons — the show won praise for its programming, buyer presence and expo traffic. With more than 1,200 exhibitors, Fresh Summit attracted about 3,200 buyers, according to PMA.

On Oct. 18, Fresh Summit was packed with non-expo programming, including three Forum for the Future general session presentations and several “experience extension” sessions covering trade, produce and floral transportation issues, and food safety. 

Cathy Burns, president and CEO of PMA, spoke on the State of the Industry, and Greg Williams, editor of Wired magazine, led a discussion on business innovation. Leslie Odom Jr., Tony-award winning actor and musician, spoke later in the day on his experience in setting and reaching goals. 

The fourth Forum for the Future presentation, a well-received performance by former NFL quarterback Peyton Manning, kicked off the first expo day on Oct. 19.

Also on Oct. 19, the husband and wife team of Lynda and Stewart Resnick of The Wonderful Co. were awarded The Packer’s 2018 Produce Marketer of the Year award.

Produce Retailer magazine, a sister publication of The Packer, on Oct. 19 presented Hy-Vee group vice president of produce purchasing Mike Orf with the Produce Retailer of the Year award at The Packer’s booth on the show floor.

Show reaction

Burns said she received positive feedback about the look and feel of the 2018 Fresh Summit.

“The energy on the expo floor was incredible, as was the number of buyers that joined us in Orlando,” she said. 

Scheduled for Anaheim, Calif., Oct. 17-20 next year, the 2019 Fresh Summit appears to be set up for even bigger attendance, because West Coast shows tend to draw better.

Diana McClean, senior director of marketing, Ocean Mist Farms, Castroville, Calif., said the 2018 show didn’t disappoint.

“I think it was fantastic, the first day definitely (had) incredible traffic,” she said. “We had lot of solid contract with our retail partners.”

While there seemed to be less traffic the second expo day, there were plenty of retailers to talk with.

“We’re here to engage with the retail partners that we have, reinvigorate relationships with those that want to work with us and show off our product lines,” she said.

“There has been great traffic,” said Leslie Simmons, vice president of Dave’s Specialty Imports, Miami, noting the tweaks in the programming and show gave Fresh Summit a different feel this year.

“We were impressed by the number of customers that were able to connect with while we were here,” said Kent Beesley, Western retail promotion director for the Idaho Potato Commission. 

“What we love about the show is it makes it easy to see a lot of customers in one place, and that’s what happened this year.”