ORLANDO, FL — The global fresh produce and floral industry gathered in record numbers at Produce Marketing Association’s 67th annual (PMA) Fresh Summit Convention & Expo on Oct. 14-16, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. According to a press release, 20,889 people from 65 countries attended the show. This sets PMA’s new East Coast attendance record.
The three-day event highlighted the tools PMA delivers year-round to its members: connections to innovation, networking and professional education to help grow successful businesses.
Expo
Over 1,200 exhibiting companies showcased new products, trends, technologies and innovations across the largest-ever expo, which included a sold-out Floral Pavilion and 166 first-time exhibitors, another Fresh Summit record.
On the expo floor, four exhibitors were chosen by a panel of industry experts for “best of show,” which is designed to generate attendee excitement and encourage exhibitors to enhance the effectiveness of their exhibition experience:
• Best of Show, in-line booth: Veggie Noodle Co., booth 4344
• Best of Show, island booth: Gems Group, Inc., booth 4087
• Best Produce Promo: SUNSET, booth 3549 for their Dill-it-yourself Pickle Kit
• Best First-Time Exhibitor: ArizonaEast, booth 4150
“Each year we are introduced to new, promising innovations that give us an inside look at our industry’s bright future,” said PMA Exhibitor Advisory Committee Chair Kevin Steiner, director of business development, Sage Fruit Company. “And this year was no different.”
Education
Education sessions explored effective marketing strategies, food safety, new industry technologies and more. Each session fell into one of the five Fresh Summit Communities of Interest. This helped attendees connect with others who shared common goals. Fresh Summit Communities of Interest included: Floral, Global, Industry Talent, Issues Leadership and Science and Technology.
The event sparked conversations around the world on social media, and #FreshSummit was a top trend on Twitter.
2017: New Orleans
Next year’s Fresh Summit will be held Oct. 19-21, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. PMA will be shifting to a Thursday through Saturday schedule with the expo on Friday and Saturday. This allows attendees to get home to their families sooner and be back in the office on Monday.
For more information, visit www.freshsummit.com
Photo by Cassie Neiden
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