Organic Produce Summit hosts largest show to date
With over 1,800 attendees, organic fresh produce growers, shippers and producers met with over 300 retail representatives from across North America to discuss the growth of organic fresh produce and the opportunities that lie ahead to further bolster sales and consumption in line with evolving consumer lifestyles at the seventh annual Organic Produce Summit, held last week in Monterey, California, according to a news release.
New organic rules and regulations, the challenges facing controlled environment agriculture and the ability to effectively connect the benefits of organic fresh produce to consumers were among the hot-button topics explored, said the release.
“Based on feedback from attendees, OPS 2023 was a tremendous success. As our largest show yet, OPS attendees had opportunities to discuss the growth, opportunities, and challenges of the organic fresh produce industry,” Susan Canales, president of OPS said in the release. “From the retailer field tours, engaging ed sessions, and a sold-out trade show floor, OPS attendees celebrated the organic fresh produce industry and explored what the future of the industry may look like."
Related news: Seen and heard at OPS 2023 — Part 1
Day one of OPS 2023 kicked off with a series of retailer field tours to Taylor Farms/Earthbound Farm, Driscoll's and Braga Fresh production facilities, followed by a gala opening reception that evening. The second day of OPS featured five educational sessions and a pair of keynote presentations that explored the growth and evolution of the organic produce industry. The event concluded with a sold-out tradeshow floor of 170 organic producers highlighting their products to retailers and buyers, said the release.
Among the notable OPS events was the retailer roundtable keynote presentation featuring leadership from three of the nation’s most progressive retailers. The panel shared that educating consumers about various organic produce items and the backstory of how those items are grown and brought to market represents a tremendous opportunity for producers and retailers to grow and sell more items.
Misfit Markets CEO and Founder Abhi Ramesh told audience members that as a digital operation, his company has ample space to tell the story directly to consumers on its website, according to the release.
Related news: Seen and heard at OPS 2023 — Part 2
“We have a massive storytelling opportunity,” he said in the release. Ramesh urged suppliers to figure out what they want to tell consumers and get those stories on the company’s website.
In the other keynote presentation, Divert CEO and Co-founder Ryan Begin Divert addressed the $408 billion food waste issue and his company's goal to eliminate wasted food and double net profits in the retail space, said the release.
“What is being wasted and why? And how do we close that loop?” Begin said in the release.
OPS 2023 featured five educational sessions, which explored a range of topics that included the new organic enforcement rule, the future of CEA, sustainability compliance, plant-based diets and the shifting organic retail assortment.
Following an outside lunch in a sunny and cool Monterey setting, attendees spent the afternoon on a sold-out trade show floor networking with 170 producers of organic fresh produce, said the release.
“This show is awesome, and I can’t believe the number of retailers I’ve been able to connect with,” Darrel Beyer of Bluebird Mountain Organics said in the release. “I connected with a retailer I’ve been trying to do business with for a long time, so it was a great day!”
Related news: Seen and heard at OPS 2023 — Part 3
