Seen and heard at West Coast Produce Expo — Part 4
PALM DESERT, Calif. — The cool, crisp Southern California desert ambiance permeated the 2023 West Coast Produce Expo, May 19-20, at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa.
After a daylong Sustainable Produce Summit, many attendees enjoyed a hands-on day of farm tours, pickleball and golf May 19. Many buyers and exhibitors toured citrus greenhouses at Golden Star Citrus, learning the ins and outs of cultivating North Shore’s living herbs, and explored the facilities at Ocean Mist.
After a day outside recreating and learning, the conference and trade show got down to business May 20. On the trade show floor, it was elbow to elbow getting a first look at this year’s exhibitors.
“West Coast Produce Expo feels like it’s growing,” Dole’s Walter Frohmader told The Packer. “The retailers are here, the suppliers are here — all facets of the industry. The show feels comprehensive and inclusive.”
Top takeaways on the show floor
It was Victoria Cao’s first WCPE show but, scanning the trade show, she felt like it was a good turnout with tons of people.
“As California growers, West Coast Produce Expo is our bread and butter,” Cao said. “It’s good timing too; our avocado season is getting underway.”
Bari Produce’s Justin Bedwell is ready to kick offwith the California growing season.
“Apricots, peaches and plums are coming on right now, but we’re about four weeks behind schedule,” Bedwell said.
Despite the late start experienced by many on the West Coast, Bari Produce anticipates a strong season that includes pomegranates and table grapes.
Simply Fresh came to this year’s West Coast Produce Expo with its “shaken, not stirred” personal-sized salads.
“This new product launch is exciting because it has a 14-day shelf life. Each component of the salad is individually sealed,” Simply Fresh’s Alley Grillo told The Packer.
Clair Vasquez has been representing Windset Farms at West Coast Produce Expo for the last eight years and counting, she said. But Vasquez’s colleague, David Arana, based out of Nogales, was getting a feel for his first WCPE trade show.
At this year's show, it’s all about the peppers, said Vasquez.
“To develop our Sonata mini peppers, we worked with a new seed supplier, Rijk Zwaan,” she said.
Additionally, Windset Farms is offering a vibrant Tatayoyo variety mini pepper that boasts notably high brix.
Hailing from Fowler, Calif., the team at Bee Sweet Citrus was ready to meet not only new customers, but also reconnect with existing customers as well.
“We’re transitioning from our California season right now to Chile and even New Zealand,” Monique Mueller told The Packer.
Making your way through a bustling trade show floor take a toll, and Bostock's Jennifer Heinlein pulled me off the crowded floor to share her New Zealand apples.
“If you need to have a 'diva moment,' this is the apple for you,” she said with a sly smile.
But in all seriousness, when it comes to developing its organic apple varieties, Bostock is all business. The largest organic apple grower in New Zealand, Bostock grows most of its apples on New Zealand’s North Island, with the exception of Honeycrisp apples grown on the South Island.
The family-owned apple grower has learned to adapt to the New Zealand climate, gaining the skills necessary to master organic growing techniques in the maritime conditions, said Heinlein.
This year, the grower is launching its new Dazzle variety. With a bold, blood red hue and creamy pale white flesh, the Dazzle apple evokes images of fairy tales and myths.
“The Dazzle is straight sweet, there’s no acid,” Heinlein said.
This year’s season is just starting, she added. Bostock is offering some apple programs, but for the most part, it’s first come, first serve.
“We have the Dazzle apple in the next two weeks through mid-September,” she added. “Once it’s out, it’s out.”
“It was inspirational to see Steve Young speak. It was great to feel that warmth,” Starr Ranch Growers’ Jim Thomas told The Packer, referring to the NFL Hall of Fame quarterback's keynote presentation. Thomas especially enjoyed seeing the produce industry rally together for an energetic question-and-answer session with Young.
“For that moment in time, we felt like a community, not competitors,” he said.
Well-Pict's Jim Grabowski is excited that the California weather is finally getting back to normal again.
“Raspberries just started,” he said. “Our crops are a little backed up, like other California growers, because of the rains.”
Well-Pict has attended all 10 years of WCPE.
“It’s neat to see how the operation has grown,” Grabowski said.
Daniela Toro was excited to showcase Veg Fresh’s 10-ounce white strawberries grown in California at this year’s show.
“It’s good to be out here and see everyone,” she said.
California-based grower-packer-shipper 4Earth Farms debuted its new line of refrigerated cauliflower rice on the trade show floor.
“We pack our products in L.A., but we’re sourcing mostly from Mexico, Guatemala and California right now,” said Alicia Sanchez.
The grower’s offerings focus largely on organic products, but they do have some conventional lines as well, she added.
Related: Seen and heard at West Coast Produce Expo — Part 1
Related: Seen and heard at West Coast Produce Expo — Part 2
Related: Seen and heard at West Coast Produce Expo — Part 3
