How to meet foodservice customers where they are

As the fresh produce industry prepared for The Foodservice Conference, July 27-28 in Monterey, Calif., The Packer connected with Joe Watson, former director of produce for Rouses Markets and the current vice president of retail, foodservice and wholesale for International Fresh Produce Association, to learn what’s on tap for this year’s event.

The Packer: IFPA says hundreds of top foodservice buyers are expected to attend this year’s The Foodservice Conference to get the latest on menu ideas, services and produce trends, with every type of outlet and distributor represented — including Darden, Shamrock Foods, Chicago Public Schools, Markon, Cheesecake Factory, Hello Fresh and Chick-fil-A.  

What do you expect to be among the hottest produce-related topics at conference?

Watson: Market disruption over the past three years is giving way to renewed product and menu innovation. There is a lot of excitement around more fresh produce inclusion in menu development across all foodservice channels including retail.

What makes this a must-attend event for retail foodservice operators? What kinds of experiences, learnings, resources can they expect to take away?

Each year The Foodservice Conference provides a unique experience to attendees, and this year’s event is no different. With more diverse buyer segments now participating — for instance the more than 100 K-12 foodservice operator attendees this year — we are seeing strong demand on how having more fresh produce in schools, and how it is presented to children, can have a long-term positive impact on the entire fresh produce supply chain.

What are some of the key trends in retail foodservice today?

In retail specifically, one trend is around offering fresh produce in multiple ways for meal and menu planning for customer — from fresh raw and prepped to raw and seasoned to cold and hot prepared options as well, and as sides or main dishes and components to meals. Meeting customers where they are in terms of convenience and capturing repeat sales are key strategies for retailers in the foodservice space.

What do you see as the biggest challenge and the biggest opportunity for retail foodservice operators today, and where does fresh produce fit into this picture?

Over and over, labor is repeated as a primary challenge in retail and traditional foodservice sectors. But as consumers are choosing to return to dine-out occasions again, operators are faced with increasing back-of-the-house production or to outsource partially or fully processed fresh produce offerings.

Many operators are seeking to invest and to have fresh produce as a differentiator in their limited-time offers (LTOs) or the main or seasonal menus. Continuity of supply and a stable market are key factors with operators and how they implement and maintain those strategies.