Update: An earlier version of this article misidentified John Pandol and contained incorrect information about the breakdown of genetically modified food in stores.

ORLANDO, FL — Will produce departments expand to correspond with increased sales? Is a separate section for organic produce or home delivery of groceries the wave of the future? Where do you learn about new produce items? How can we reduce shrink in produce or overcome consumer fear of genetically modified produce?

These and other burning questions were posed and answered by a panel of experts in a 1950s TV game-show format at the Southeast Produce Council’s recent Southern Exposure show, here.Reggie Griffin, a 42-year veteran with Kroger Co., now a consultant, served as judge for the 'Ask a Retaile'” panel in a 1950s TV game-show format.

The morning session Feb. 27 drew a packed house of about 200 and was guided by a gavel-wielding judge, black-robed Reggie Griffin, a 42-year veteran of Kroger Co., who served as vice president for produce and floral for 10 years before becoming a consultant.

“If you don’t know who Judge Judy is,” he warned the crowd, “you need to get a life.”

Panelists, all top executives in produce retailing, were Chris Dove, executive director of produce for Delhaize and a 28-year veteran executive at that chain; Gary Miracle, director of produce for Associate Wholesale Grocers and a 44-year retailer, who started as a bagger at Schnuck’s; and Scott Bennett, produce director at Jewel Osco, who started as a produce clerk 30 years ago.

Produce departments will become larger due to increased sales, the panel agreed, though Miracle said they might grow upwards rather than outwards, with more linear feet but not more floor space. Stacking and refrigerated displays will become more prominent, he added.

Dove said a separate section for organic produce will be more popular because the organic shopper wants to see all options in one place. Home delivery of produce and groceries will be largely in urban areas, Miracle said, because customers want to see and touch and smell produce at the store. Dove said home delivery was “no huge deal” but not a problem for his company.

The panel said they learned about new produce products by watching TV shows like the Food Network.

“Shrink is a big part of our life in produce,” said Dove, whose company has a department devoted to reducing shrink. Other panelists said it was a necessary part of produce operations because it was tied to quality.

Genetically modified food is already in the stores — 80 percent of grocery items contain ingredients of genetically modified origin, according to John Pandol of Pandol Bros., who noted, “We have a Star Trek industry, but our consumers want Little House on the Prairie.” Consumer education is the answer, panelists said.

Along the way, panelists noted double-digit sales growth in value-added produce products, the continued growth of the local food movement and how sampling can drive sales. Consumers need help in learning how to prepare produce, Miracle observed. Technology in stores is the key to consumer education, Dove added.

Summing up, Griffin said there is a huge gap between the grower -- the supply side -- and the retailer -- the demand side, “and I hope we’ve reduced it today.”

Next year’s SEPC program may include a panel, “Ask a Shipper,” a council official said.