“We look forward to discussing the latest industry trends and hearing directly from our peers and partners what the biggest, current pain points are so we can help solve them for our customers,” said Jordan Grainger, vice president of sales for the company, which is located in the Michigan Produce Terminal in Detroit. “IFPA is one of the most important organizations in our industry, and one we’re proud to be a part of and serve on their U.S. Policy committee.”

Joining Grainger at the show will be Scott Bagan, director of foodservice, and Paul Suttmiller, national account manager. The trio will be walking the floor and attending many of the IFPA sponsored events.

“We’re excited to connect with new and potential contacts, having productive conversations and taking away key insights from our industry partners about the latest trends influencing their businesses,” Grainger said. “These events always bring value, and we hope that we bring value to them as well. It’s always important to take time and meet with customers and other industry leaders face-to-face to have important conversations about the trends and challenges in our industry and be forward-thinking about what comes next.”

 In 2025, Ben B has seen increased interest in value-add services such as quality assurance, re-packing, bagging and white-label packaging.

“Foodservice groups and retail distributors are looking for one-stop partners where they can not only source the highest-quality produce, but have it delivered exactly how they need it for their end customers, eliminating the need to outsource this layer of work and get everything from one vendor,” Grainger said. “We’ve integrated these services into our offerings, so when our deliveries arrive, it’s exactly how our customers need them prepped for sale.”

 At the show, the Ben B team is interested in learning more about the trickle-down trends of produce consumption, including what consumer habits are emerging in restaurants when it comes to dining out.

“We’re also keen to discuss what’s happening in regard to school nutrition, and what fresh produce fluctuations are happening with that audience,” Grainger said. “Foodservice groups represent a large pool of our customers, so they’re integral to our business. We’re known for our fast, dependable service, high-quality products and for always being forward-thinking about what our customers don’t just need now, but tomorrow.”  

In the past year, Ben B has grown its sales team and focused on expanding its delivery radius to new destinations between Toronto and Atlanta.

“This show is a great opportunity to network with potential customers located in this area and get them familiar with the Ben B. brand and learn about the needs driving their businesses to see if we can help meet them,” Grainger said. “This year is all about growth — growing our business, offerings and capabilities. We’re delivering on these across the board, expanding our team and services, while also putting in new operational and marketing initiatives to help us work smarter and reach new customers.”

Looking ahead, Ben B’s main goal is always to deliver on the high standard it sets for itself and that its customers have come to expect.

This includes more team support, new services to bring additional value to customers and new tools to help the company be more efficient, such as the proprietary ERP platform Ben B. Access.

“We’re also excited to bring Ben B to new territories and are looking forward to expanding our delivery radius this year and beyond,” Grainger said.