Record attendance expected for fourth annual SPC conference
Record attendance expected for fourth annual SPC conference
The Southeast Produce Council has a full program to offer the record crowd expected for its fourth annual conference and expo Feb. 22-24 in Tampa, FL.
"On the retail-foodservice side, the turnout this year has just been fantastic," SPC Executive Director Terry Vorhees told The Produce News in early February. About 175 retail and foodservice attendees are expected for the conference in Tampa, up 35-40 percent from last year's conference in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Add the people staffing the exhibit booths as well as the growers, shippers, brokers and others attending, and the total number "is going to approach 650 to 700," he said. That compares to last year's total of 500.
About 144 exhibitors are expected this year, almost exactly the same as last year.
Regarding the expo, Mr. Vorhees said that "as the council continues to grow, we most likely are going to have to raise the number of exhibitors, but we don't want to get to the point where it takes away from why people like to go to it. And that is because they like that slower-paced, intimate type of atmosphere." Buyers from the retail and foodservice segments of the produce industry can "go in there [the expo] and not feel like they're being rushed."
The Southeast Produce Council has prepared a full schedule of events for the upcoming event, which is billed as Southern Exposure.
First up is the annual golf tournament, set for Thursday, Feb. 24, at the Lake Jovita Golf Club. Shuttle service will be provided to and from the club, about 45 minutes from downtown Tampa, for the record 160 golfers who have signed up. A golf awards dinner will follow play.
On Friday, Feb. 23, the field tours (which are sold out) begin at 8 a.m., starting with Port Manatee. Anchored at the doorstep of international commerce, Port Manatee is the region's most important transportation hub. It is Florida's fourth largest deepwater seaport that shuttles 9.4 million tons of important commodities to eager markets and consumers, according to the SPC web site. It is also Fresh Del Monte Produce Co.'s second largest U.S. port facility. The port receives nearly 100 ships for Del Monte each year with two- way cargo movements. Attendees will have the opportunity to tour the port, view a USDA inspection of fresh produce and tour the Del Monte facility.
After this, the tour will stop at Pacific Tomato Growers Ltd., where lunch will be served, after which attendees will have the opportunity to tour the tomato packinghouse and view the wide variety of products. PTG's "Sunripe" family of companies is among the leading growers, packers, shippers and marketers of quality fielded-grown, vine-ripe, mature green, Roma and sweet grape tomatoes.
Attendees should be back at their hotel by 3 p.m. A sponsors VIP reception will take place from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., and the opening party -- dubbed "Hot Tampa Nights" -- will run from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. "It's gonna be a big blast, I'll tell ya," Mr. Vorhees enthused.
On Saturday, Feb. 24, two concurrent workshops will be held from 9 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. (All events on Saturday except the closing reception will take place at the Tampa Convention Center.)
In the retail workshop, in partnership with the Perishables Group, the Southeast Produce Council will be releasing the findings of a new consumer research study on why consumers purchase organic produce at conventional retail. The study will combine national and regional consumer research results to provide the latest trends in this fast growing segment.
This workshop will be moderated by Steve Lutz, executive vice president of the Perishables Group.
Panelists will be Greg Carlson, category manager of Sunflower Markets LLC; Tom Holbert, opportunity buyer for Wal-Mart Stores Inc.; Don Harris, vice president of produce and floral at Wild Oats; Billy L. Heller Jr., chief executive officer of PTG Management Co.; and Tracy King, director of marketing for Dovex Marketing.
The foodservice workshop is titled "Foodservice Opportunities Abound! Panel Presentation with Chain Restaurant Decision Makers," where attendees will learn the ins and outs of what's driving the continued increase of fresh produce usage within the growing foodservice market segment. This interactive forum will feature a panel of chain restaurant decision-makers whose aim will be to provide insights into their strategies in working with produce suppliers to better meet their customers' needs.
This workshop will be moderated by Ronnie L. De La Cruz of De La Cruz Consulting & Training. Panelists will be Tina Fitzgerald, acting director of produce and social responsibility at Independent Purchase Cooperation for Subway; Gary Schwartz, director of supply chain management at P.F. Chang's - Pei Wei Asian Diner-Taneko Japanese Tavern; and Michelle Weaver, category manager of produce at Applebee's International.
From 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Elizabeth Pivonka of the Produce for Better Health Foundation will provide an update on PBH activities.
Lunch will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., and Kevin Coupe of MorningNewsBeat.com will deliver the keynote address on "Speaking the Language of the Consumer." At this all-new presentation, based on proprietary qualitative and quantitative research by The Hartman Group, Mr. Coupe will look at what shoppers really want and really need both today and in the future.
One of the highlights of the entire event, the expo, will take place from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Southern Exposure 2007 will conclude with a closing reception from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.
The Southeast Produce Council, which was formed in 1999, held its inaugural conference and expo in 2004 in Lakeland, FL. It has grown ever since and today boasts over 400 members from all over the South, representing the states of Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. The 2005 conference was held in Tampa, and the 2006 conference was held in Fort Lauderdale. Following the 2007 conference in Tampa, the council will hold its fifth conference Feb. 21-23, 2008, in Orlando, FL.
Asked why he thought the council and its conferences have grown steadily over the years, Mr. Vorhees replied, "Number one, the Southeast is one of the fastest growing areas of the country" in terms of population. While Florida is the best-known destination for retirees from up North, he noted that the Carolinas and Georgia are also prime destinations for older Americans.
Concerning the role that the Southeast plays in providing fruits and vegetables to consumers across the United States, he stated, "When you stop to think what the Southeast has, as far as the crops that are grown, it doesn't matter if you're in Minneapolis or Seattle - at one point during the year, you're going to be buying product grown in the Southeast."
He added, "And the other thing is, we're got some dynamic companies down here. If you look at the supermarket business, look at Publix -- rated one or two when it comes to customer satisfaction. You've got Wal-Mart, you've got Kroger -- and all these have buying offices all throughout the Southeast. I just hope we can keep the pace up."
"On the retail-foodservice side, the turnout this year has just been fantastic," SPC Executive Director Terry Vorhees told The Produce News in early February. About 175 retail and foodservice attendees are expected for the conference in Tampa, up 35-40 percent from last year's conference in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Add the people staffing the exhibit booths as well as the growers, shippers, brokers and others attending, and the total number "is going to approach 650 to 700," he said. That compares to last year's total of 500.
About 144 exhibitors are expected this year, almost exactly the same as last year.
Regarding the expo, Mr. Vorhees said that "as the council continues to grow, we most likely are going to have to raise the number of exhibitors, but we don't want to get to the point where it takes away from why people like to go to it. And that is because they like that slower-paced, intimate type of atmosphere." Buyers from the retail and foodservice segments of the produce industry can "go in there [the expo] and not feel like they're being rushed."
The Southeast Produce Council has prepared a full schedule of events for the upcoming event, which is billed as Southern Exposure.
First up is the annual golf tournament, set for Thursday, Feb. 24, at the Lake Jovita Golf Club. Shuttle service will be provided to and from the club, about 45 minutes from downtown Tampa, for the record 160 golfers who have signed up. A golf awards dinner will follow play.
On Friday, Feb. 23, the field tours (which are sold out) begin at 8 a.m., starting with Port Manatee. Anchored at the doorstep of international commerce, Port Manatee is the region's most important transportation hub. It is Florida's fourth largest deepwater seaport that shuttles 9.4 million tons of important commodities to eager markets and consumers, according to the SPC web site. It is also Fresh Del Monte Produce Co.'s second largest U.S. port facility. The port receives nearly 100 ships for Del Monte each year with two- way cargo movements. Attendees will have the opportunity to tour the port, view a USDA inspection of fresh produce and tour the Del Monte facility.
After this, the tour will stop at Pacific Tomato Growers Ltd., where lunch will be served, after which attendees will have the opportunity to tour the tomato packinghouse and view the wide variety of products. PTG's "Sunripe" family of companies is among the leading growers, packers, shippers and marketers of quality fielded-grown, vine-ripe, mature green, Roma and sweet grape tomatoes.
Attendees should be back at their hotel by 3 p.m. A sponsors VIP reception will take place from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., and the opening party -- dubbed "Hot Tampa Nights" -- will run from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. "It's gonna be a big blast, I'll tell ya," Mr. Vorhees enthused.
On Saturday, Feb. 24, two concurrent workshops will be held from 9 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. (All events on Saturday except the closing reception will take place at the Tampa Convention Center.)
In the retail workshop, in partnership with the Perishables Group, the Southeast Produce Council will be releasing the findings of a new consumer research study on why consumers purchase organic produce at conventional retail. The study will combine national and regional consumer research results to provide the latest trends in this fast growing segment.
This workshop will be moderated by Steve Lutz, executive vice president of the Perishables Group.
Panelists will be Greg Carlson, category manager of Sunflower Markets LLC; Tom Holbert, opportunity buyer for Wal-Mart Stores Inc.; Don Harris, vice president of produce and floral at Wild Oats; Billy L. Heller Jr., chief executive officer of PTG Management Co.; and Tracy King, director of marketing for Dovex Marketing.
The foodservice workshop is titled "Foodservice Opportunities Abound! Panel Presentation with Chain Restaurant Decision Makers," where attendees will learn the ins and outs of what's driving the continued increase of fresh produce usage within the growing foodservice market segment. This interactive forum will feature a panel of chain restaurant decision-makers whose aim will be to provide insights into their strategies in working with produce suppliers to better meet their customers' needs.
This workshop will be moderated by Ronnie L. De La Cruz of De La Cruz Consulting & Training. Panelists will be Tina Fitzgerald, acting director of produce and social responsibility at Independent Purchase Cooperation for Subway; Gary Schwartz, director of supply chain management at P.F. Chang's - Pei Wei Asian Diner-Taneko Japanese Tavern; and Michelle Weaver, category manager of produce at Applebee's International.
From 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Elizabeth Pivonka of the Produce for Better Health Foundation will provide an update on PBH activities.
Lunch will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., and Kevin Coupe of MorningNewsBeat.com will deliver the keynote address on "Speaking the Language of the Consumer." At this all-new presentation, based on proprietary qualitative and quantitative research by The Hartman Group, Mr. Coupe will look at what shoppers really want and really need both today and in the future.
One of the highlights of the entire event, the expo, will take place from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Southern Exposure 2007 will conclude with a closing reception from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.
The Southeast Produce Council, which was formed in 1999, held its inaugural conference and expo in 2004 in Lakeland, FL. It has grown ever since and today boasts over 400 members from all over the South, representing the states of Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. The 2005 conference was held in Tampa, and the 2006 conference was held in Fort Lauderdale. Following the 2007 conference in Tampa, the council will hold its fifth conference Feb. 21-23, 2008, in Orlando, FL.
Asked why he thought the council and its conferences have grown steadily over the years, Mr. Vorhees replied, "Number one, the Southeast is one of the fastest growing areas of the country" in terms of population. While Florida is the best-known destination for retirees from up North, he noted that the Carolinas and Georgia are also prime destinations for older Americans.
Concerning the role that the Southeast plays in providing fruits and vegetables to consumers across the United States, he stated, "When you stop to think what the Southeast has, as far as the crops that are grown, it doesn't matter if you're in Minneapolis or Seattle - at one point during the year, you're going to be buying product grown in the Southeast."
He added, "And the other thing is, we're got some dynamic companies down here. If you look at the supermarket business, look at Publix -- rated one or two when it comes to customer satisfaction. You've got Wal-Mart, you've got Kroger -- and all these have buying offices all throughout the Southeast. I just hope we can keep the pace up."
