After last year's successful debut at the venue, which is part of the Wynn Casino Group, NEPC leadership knew returning was a great idea as it provides plenty of entertainment for attendees in off-hours.“Instead of doing a keynote address and having an industry speaker, we’re doing a game show,” Sullivan said. “We will have six teams competing and each team will be sponsored by a company, and each team will have a buyer as part of the team.”
The questions will be produce-specific and the top two teams will compete in the championship round.
“We will award prizes, and it’s really exciting,” Sullivan said. “This will be a great way to kick off the event on the day. We wanted to mix it up and add some excitement to the morning.”
Following the game show, the exhibitor floor will open at 9:30 a.m., and will remain open until 4 p.m.
Hockey fans will get the chance to meet Boston Bruins star Charlie Coyle on the show floor beginning at 1:30 p.m. Coyle will be signing autographs and posing for photos as part of the expo’s annual celebrity meet and greet. Coyle, a native of Weymouth, MA, scored an impressive 25 goals and 60 points last season and was a big part of the Bruins 2024 playoff run.
The night before the expo, there will be a reception from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Encore’s south lawn. There will also be a Produce and Floral Leadership session available for produce managers, something that debuted successfully last year.
“This is a great time to visit the Boston area; we are in Everett right outside of the city,” Sullivan said. “It’s a nice time to showcase this part of the country, and people can conduct business at the show and maybe tack on another day before or after and sightsee and take advantage of what Boston has to offer.”
