Fresh Summit 2015: A record breaker

Another year, another broken attendance record for PMA’s Fresh Summit Convention and Expo. The annual convergence of the fresh produce and floral industry brought more than 19,000 attendees to the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta from Oct. 23 to 25, topping the event’s previous East Coast attendance record of 18,284.

“Reflecting on total attendance alone, Fresh Summit in Atlanta was a major success having hosted our largest East Coast attendance on record,” said Cathy Burns, PMA president. “Fresh Summit is more than a show — it’s the homecoming of the fresh produce and floral industry — where they come every year to reconnect with friends and find inspiration in new trends and ideas for their businesses for the coming year.”

Last year’s Anaheim, California-based show drew a larger crowd, approximately 22,400 attendees, but many of this year’s 1,060 exhibitors said the show traffic was “the best ever.” Social media was buzzing about the event for the second year in a row, with #FreshSummit becoming a top trend on Twitter.

This was Fresh Summit’s 66th birthday and it broke a bevy of records. The event jumped the number of buyers to 3,380 (the highest since 2011), and the whole event extended across 267,400 net square feet. PMA exhibitors also donated 341,061 pounds of fresh produce to Atlanta food pantries. That means, over the past decade, PMA exhibitors have donated more than 3.2 million pounds of produce to fight hunger in at-risk communities.
 

The state of it all

The developing relationship between agriculture, retailing and technology was a highlight at this year’s State of the Industry general session presented by Burns and Bryan Silbermann, CEO of PMA. The duo discussed the importance of fresh produce on the International Space Station, veggies grown in underwater modules off the coast of Italy and greenhouses designed to harvest dew from the air, reducing the reliance on exterior water sources in water-scarce regions.

Burns also talked about the development of interactive produce in Japanese supermarkets. There, when customers touch certain veggie containers. On that recording is the voice of the farmer who grew the produce, explaining how it was grown and its health benefits.

The developers believe this feature creates a connection between potential consumers and the product. It tells the product’s story, something that all great marketing strives to do. It also creates a unique shopping experience that will help companies differentiate themselves from their competitors.

“The real question is what happened in sales,” Burns said. “In some stores, vegetable sales were said to increase as much as 250 percent.”

Another major issue discussed in the keynote was the evolving role of water conservation in production. Silbermann said that water conservation is driving interest in controlled and protected agriculture, and prompting developers to create more water capture and reuse devices. He said the trend towards water protection will only increase in time due to shortages.

The duo also talked about the strength of produce sales in 2015 and beyond. “Nielsen also tells us that the dollar share of branded produce has climbed from 36 percent to 48 percent in five years,” Burns said. “This can be attributed to innovations in packaging as well marketing partnerships between retailers and suppliers looking to break through the advertising noise from other foods.”

And healthy foods have enjoyed what Burns and Silbermann call a “health halo,” a positive reputation among consumers that frequently extends to the producer. The halo effect has been so tremendous that several large consumer brands are acquiring smaller health food producers to try to gain some of that shine.

With an increasing focus on healthy eating and regionally sourced food, Burns urged the audience to think about their consumers, particularly in light of all the research presented.

“Do they really understand your sustainability story?” she asked. “How will you ride the veggie-centric cuisine wave? How are you integrating this type of research into your market strategies?”
 

Next generation

Silbermann and Burns also discussed one of the major issues facing the whole green industry: attracting young talent.

“Just as we need to differentiate the distinction and opportunities in consumer trends, we also need to continue to deepen our understanding of how to attract and develop talent in our industry,” Silbermann said. “In fact, we would argue that attracting talent to run our businesses is as important as marketing our products.”

Appealing to Millennials requires a shift in marketing and presentation, said Silbermann. Millennials want to work for companies that do good, that make a difference, that tether them to a “work family,” and encourage cognitive diversity.

“We need to think about talent the same way we think about water,” Burns said. ”The best talent flows to where it is most valued. Unless we treat our talent the same way we treat our water, we will lose to others who see the inherent value of smart minds and powerful hearts.”

So, they asked, do you value your talent?
 

Friends in high places

During Fresh Summit, PMA announced a new alliance with the Entertainment Resource & Marketing Association (ERMA), which will bring together the produce industry and entertainment marketing professionals. The partnership will develop product placement opportunities for fruits and veggies in television shows, movies and online entertainment. This new partnership joins eat brighter! and FNV as ongoing demand creation efforts being conducted by PMA.

To commemorate the success of the eat brighter! movement, First Lady Michelle Obama sent a video message thanking PMA members and the marketing effort’s leaders. The video was played during the Silbermann and Burn’s keynote speech.

The eat brighter! movement markets produce to children using the star power of Sesame Street characters, Michelle Obama, and actors and actresses. According to PMA, participants in eat brighter! saw a 5-percent increase in sales in Quarter 2 of 2015. Year-over-year sales for participants have increased 3 percent.

FNV is a collaborative marketing effort designed to promote fresh produce with the broader population. Several major stars have lent their image to the campaign, including actress Jessica Alba, Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton, Golden State Warriors point guard Steph Curry and professional wrestler/actor John Cena.

Both eat brighter! and FNV had major presences at the event, with cutouts and posters adorning the pillars, hallways and booths of the Georgia World Congress Center.
 

From a newbie

Michelle Renz, the marketing and operations manager for transportation company John J. Jerue Companies, was a first time PMA attendee. She said the experience was incredible.

“So many of the booth designs were really works of art and helped me get an impression of the culture and goals of each company. I have vivid memories of watching a carver sculpt faces in melons, got a first-hand view of celebrity chef Hugh Acheson preparing a meal, and drooled over gorgeous photos from the field,” she says. “Rarely do transportation providers get the opportunity to connect with buyers, growers, and shippers representing the companies they work with and it was a thrill to interact with so many of them from all over the world.”

Renz added that the sheer size of the show was occasionally overwhelming, particularly for a first-timer.

“I hate to admit it, but I lost my colleagues several times and quick text messages with booth numbers helped greatly,” she says. “For next year, to more easily spot colleagues and better navigate among the masses, it will be a must to wear a unique logo shirt or coordinate.”

Renz says wearing a name badge at all times will enhance the Fresh Summit experience “The best tip from an industry veteran for starting my expo was critical: Enter at the far back entrance and work my way to the front, which would mean that I was walking opposite most foot traffic and not stuck with the rush of people entering at the front,” she says.

But Renz is jumping at the chance to return next year.

“It was exciting to look out across the expo and see thousands of people – and maybe even overwhelming at some points,” she says. “I tried to cram my expo time into a full day on Saturday and felt too rushed. There was a surplus of beautiful food on display to sample and explore. I wish I had taken more time to leisurely walk through and soak up the atmosphere and taste some of the new flavors.”

PMA Fresh Summit 2016 will be held Oct. 14 to 16 in Orlando, Florida.