Inaugural Viva Fresh expo a smash hit
Inaugural Viva Fresh expo a smash hit
AUSTIN, TX — Viva Fresh, a new conference and expo organized by the Texas International Produce Association that made its debut March 26-28, here, saw strong attendance and a sold-out expo floor.
Viva Fresh, dubbed the “Gateway to the Americas” show, was considered a great success by both organizers and attendees. Even Texas’ spring weather was perfectly cooperative.
Brett Erickson, president of the TIPA, told The Produce News March 28 that 800 attendees had pre-registered for the show, including 180 produce buyers. Many more walk-ins, uncounted at the time, had arrived for the show.
Held in the Hilton Hotel in downtown Austin, the show started with a March 26 golf tournament and then included a day-and-a-half of well-organized and enlightening presentations and educational seminars.
The show exposition only ran from 12:30 p.m. until 5 p.m. on the closing afternoon. The short hours were given a nod of approval by both exhibitors and attendees, who felt that was an adequate amount of time.
There were 141 booths, all of which were the same size. While most exhibitors were from Mexico and Texas, there were assorted produce shippers and service and input suppliers from around the United States and Canada.
The next Viva Fresh expo will be held in San Antonio March 31-April 2, 2016, with expectations running high following the very successful inaugural event.
