Registration and hotel reservations are now open for IFPA's Foodservice Conference, which is set to take place July 27-28 event in Monterey, CA.

The conference, which attracts more than 1,800 members of the full foodservice supply chain, boasted a one-to-one buyer-supplier ratio in 2022, said IFPA’s Joe Watson, vice president of retail, foodservice, wholesale membership. “The energy at this event is off the charts," he said. "When we get buyers and sellers together, business happens.”

The International Fresh Produce Association has opened the nomination period for the 2023 Produce Excellence in Foodservice Awards Program. Developed to honor the foodservice industry’s most innovative produce performers, the program pays special tribute to chefs and foodservice operators for excellence in the use of fresh produce in the culinary arts.

The International Fresh Produce Association announced DNO Produce as the 2022 Industry Advocate of the Year Award recipient.  The award was given at The Washington Conference and was featured in the breakfast general session. It recognizes one IFPA member company each year that serves as an advocate for the entire produce industry.

Robert Irvine, a Food Network star, world class chef and philanthropist, led a lively discussion along with co-host Leslie Sbrocoo at the recent International Fresh Produce Association Foodservice Conference. Irvine focused on changing the trajectory of how we eat.

Irvine humored the crowd, saying at the age of 11, having joined a home economics course and “after chasing the pretty girls, it was quiche Lorraine and watching people’s enjoyment eating it, that got me into food. From that point forward, food became my life.”

The International Fresh Produce Association Foodservice Conference Expo served as the perfect opportunity for foodservice operators and other buyers to meet with industry representatives with the best products, services and innovations. The buyer audience attended in full force, and with over 900 registered buyers from over 250 companies, the buyer to supplier ratio was of almost one to one.

The International Fresh Produce Association welcomed produce suppliers, foodservice innovators, chefs, menu planners and others to the first Foodservice Conference as a part of the IFPA banner (41st in Monterey). With a record high of almost 2,000 registered attendees, the Foodservice Conference illustrated that demand is strong for foodservice and produce connections.