More than 2,500 companies from nearly 80 countries will have their goods and services on exhibit at the 2014 Fruit Logistica Berlin exhibition and convention on Feb. 5-7 at ExpoCenter City. And hundreds of thousands of visitors will be there to view them.

The United States will have a notable presence at the event in nearly every category of the perishables chain. In all, over 70 U.S. companies are on the exhibitors list.Steven and Bethany Ceccarelli, owners of Farm Fresh Produce Inc., will display their sweet potatoes at Fruit Logistica.

Included are Bard Valley Medjool Date Growers in Bard, CA, producers of the highly popular Medjool dates, which it ships worldwide. Chelan Fresh Marketing in Chelan, WA, will have its popular apple brand on hand. Ekland Marketing Co. of California Inc., a company that has introduced new strawberry, blackberry and citrus varieties to the producers around the world for over 30 years has nurseries, growers and marketers in over 67 countries, will also be exhibiting, as will C.H. Robinson Worldwide Inc., one of the world’s largest third-party logistics providers, headquartered in Eden Prairie, MN.

Central American and South American councils, organizations, associations and producers who partner with the U.S. fresh produce industry will also have a presence at the show. And many of the U.S. companies that handle products from these regions will be on hand to support their sources and demonstrate the products they offer.

Among them will be Chestnut Hill Farms, headquartered in Miami, a leading grower, importer, marketer and distributors of premium-quality produce grown in diverse locations throughout Latin America. HLB Specialties LLC, with U.S. headquarters in Pompano Beach, FL, a supplier of high quality papayas from Caliman Agricola S.A. in Brazil, will also be at the event.

“The Fruit Logistica show is a very important venue for our company and for Caliman,” Homero Levy de Barros, president and chief executive officer of the Pompano Beach, FL-based company, told The Produce News. “Caliman papayas now have a near worldwide presence and this show enables us to solidify our partnerships and continue to expose this very important line of papayas to the world. The more people who learn about the tremendous health benefits, and how to handle them properly, the more popular they become.”

U.S.-grown apples, pears and sweet potatoes are major export items for U.S. producers. Farm Fresh Produce Inc., in Faison, NC, will be exhibiting with a strong focus on its sweet potatoes as well as informing visitors of its other major programs.

Also talking up its high-quality sweet potatoes will be Ham Produce Co. in Snow Hill, NC, Southern Produce Distributors Inc. in Faison, NC, and Triple J Produce in Sims, NC.

Paramount Citrus in Delano, CA, a 60-plus year leading fresh citrus grower, will be exhibiting at the show. The company lays claim to being the largest citrus producer in the western United States.

Ruby Fresh, one of the larger growers, shippers and packers of fresh pomegranates, based in Firebaugh, CA, will also exhibit at Fruit Logistica. The company specializes in fresh pomegranates and pomegranate arils.

For more than 50 years, Tom Lange Co. International Inc. has been building a global produce network to provide a full line of the finest fruits and vegetables available. It invests heavily in expanding its global reach through grower, shipper and logistics partnerships, and so Fruit Logistica is an important show for the company.

Wish Farms in Plant City, FL, which is listed as an exhibitor at the show, is a national produce broker, marketer, seller, shipper and packer that distributes a wide range of fresh produce, including strawberries, blueberries and Bell peppers.

Mission Produce, a global entity in the avocado industry, headquartered in Oxnard, CA, will also exhibit.

U.S. trade organizations, including the Produce Marketing Association, United Fresh Produce Association, and several regional and commodity associations, will also be exhibiting or sharing in their commodity exhibition areas. They include the U.S. Apple Export Council, USA Pears, the Washington Apple Commission, the New York Apple Association, the California Pear Advisory Board and the California Table Grape Commission.

Besides exhibition representatives at Fruit Logistica 2014, numerous U.S. company representatives will be attending the show to reinforce existing partnerships, reach out to potentially new partners and to search out new and interesting products.

Dandrea Produce in Vineland, NJ, has a strategy and goal to become a major international fresh produce player, and it is well on its way in its expansions both internally and in its ever-growing line of produce.

“The Fruit Logistica show has become an imperative expo for our company,” Frank Dandrea, president of company told The Produce News. “Just one example of the importance we place on our international partners is in last year’s expansion with our agreement with Martinavarro S.A in Valencia, Spain, producers of the ‘Roxy’ brand clementines. The function is for Dandrea Produce to be the sales arm in North America, and to procure, grow and import citrus from both domestic and worldwide resources.”

Dandrea has numerous other offshore partnerships, including in South America and Central America.

Maurice A. Auerbach Inc. is a major Northeast distributor of numerous specialty produce items. Its line includes shallots, tropical fruits and vegetables, creamer potatoes and Asian products. It also offers an organic line of products, such as garlic, shallots, tofu and other items.

Jeff Schwartz, vice president at Auerbach, has attended the show for numerous years.

“I go to keep up on the latest trends in international produce, to meet all of my foreign shippers in one place and to source new products and new sources for existing products,” said Schwartz.

U.S. exhibitors also include a wide range of produce-related service companies. They include A&B Packing Equipment Inc. in Lawrence, MI, Ixe Agro in Miami, Ambassador Services in Port Canaveral, FL, Miatech Inc. in Clackamas, OR, and Murphy Marine Services Inc., a leading stevedoring company at the Port of Wilmington, DE.

Fruit Logistica is also a very important event for Vision Import Group LLC, in River Edge, NJ. Ronnie Cohen, vice president of sales, told The Produce News someone from the company goes every year.

“It’s an extremely important show for us,” said Cohen. “It enables us to stay relevant in everything related to the industry, including packaging and logistics. It’s important to know what people are doing in products, packaging and logistics, and to garner new ideas overall.

Among the companies that provide important services in the perishables sector are customs brokers.

Nelly Yunta, vice president of sales, marketing and customer care for Crowley Maritime, and Janet Ramos, director of national accounts at Crowley Liner Services, will be at Fruit Logistica.

Their presence on behalf of Crowley and its subsidiaries and divisions is imperative in keeping the company informed on all related policies and regulations.