New England Produce Council plans continued growth
New England Produce Council plans continued growth
While the atmosphere will remain intimate for the New England Produce Council's Produce & Floral Expo April 9 in Boston, Laura Sullivan, executive director of the Burlington, MA-based group, said that the number of exhibitors will be slightly higher.
Ms. Sullivan told The Produce News March 26 that the 2008 show will have 225 booths, up from last year's 218.
"We will keep growing as much as we can," she stated. The location in the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center yields abundant space that "allows growth," she said. "The expo has been hovering around the same numbers for the past couple of years. I think we can handle a little growth. We have to grow a lot before it's not an intimate show."
Among the strengths of the NEPC expo is that the program runs for only a single day. "Everyone concurs that one day is best; you can zip in and zip out," she said. "It's not a two- or three-day show, where there is no one there on the last day."
She noted, however, that the total event is actually a little longer than one day, with the annual "thank you reception" on the Tuesday night before the show. This year that reception will be at the "Cheers" tavern in Boston's Faneuil Hall Marketplace. The reception is for exhibitors and invited retail and foodservice guests.
Ms. Sullivan was still receiving registrations in late March, so the attendance numbers were fluid, with estimates between 500 and 750. "We have a good response from New England retailers, and Price Chopper is coming" from Schenectady, NY, she noted.
Another interesting new retail participant this year is Kings Super Markets Inc., based in Parsippany, NJ. In the last year, Paul Kneeland moved from a produce directorship of Roche Bros. in Wellesley Hills, MA, to become vice president of produce and floral for Kings. Mr. Kneeland had been a leader of the New England Produce Council since its beginning, so this link has now expanded to include Kings.
Ms. Sullivan said that the purpose of the NEPC expo is "to give people the opportunity to come and showcase their product and focus on the New England region and buyers. This benefits the smaller companies that maybe would not be able to afford a PMA show and the produce mangers who do not always have an opportunity to go to a trade show. This is somewhat affordable."
New England retail produce staff "can come and go with no real travel expenses," she continued. No airfare is required, and because it runs just one day, even hotel expenses are unnecessary.
"This helps the retail buying office to expose their managers to vendors, who want to see them," she said. "Produce managers are on the front line with consumers, so suppliers want to educate them on their products. It's a win- win for exhibitors and retailers."
Furthermore, the show "is a lot of fun," she added. "The people are great. Hopefully the weather cooperates. Some people expect to see each other at this event. One [supplier] company has arranged a sales meeting in Boston so their people can come to our event. It is a great show and I'd like to tell people, 'Don't miss this great event! Come visit the New England Produce & Floral Expo!' "
This year's program will be different in that there is no keynote speaker. Instead, at the opening session, attendees will participate in a game: "Produce Family Feud." This ties in with the 2008 theme, "TV Time with NEPC."
For "Produce Family Feud," there will be assigned teams of buyers, vendors and brokers constructed to be a cross section of the produce industry. The teams will compete against one another to answer produce and non-produce questions. "This should be a lot of fun," Ms. Sullivan said.
There will also be awards given for the booths that best typify the television theme. And there will be awards given for the floral design contest that will precede the expo.
In the middle of the expo day, Steven Shipley, director of culinary relations for Johnson & Wales University, will give cooking demonstrations, using products supplied by the six sponsors of the demonstration.
Dustin Pedroia, who plays second base for the Boston Red Sox, will appear from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m at the booths of Apio Inc. and Turbana Corp. The council will develop its growing connection with the Red Sox on May 14 when Sunny Valley International Inc. again hosts a dinner at Fenway Park.
Ms. Sullivan told The Produce News March 26 that the 2008 show will have 225 booths, up from last year's 218.
"We will keep growing as much as we can," she stated. The location in the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center yields abundant space that "allows growth," she said. "The expo has been hovering around the same numbers for the past couple of years. I think we can handle a little growth. We have to grow a lot before it's not an intimate show."
Among the strengths of the NEPC expo is that the program runs for only a single day. "Everyone concurs that one day is best; you can zip in and zip out," she said. "It's not a two- or three-day show, where there is no one there on the last day."
She noted, however, that the total event is actually a little longer than one day, with the annual "thank you reception" on the Tuesday night before the show. This year that reception will be at the "Cheers" tavern in Boston's Faneuil Hall Marketplace. The reception is for exhibitors and invited retail and foodservice guests.
Ms. Sullivan was still receiving registrations in late March, so the attendance numbers were fluid, with estimates between 500 and 750. "We have a good response from New England retailers, and Price Chopper is coming" from Schenectady, NY, she noted.
Another interesting new retail participant this year is Kings Super Markets Inc., based in Parsippany, NJ. In the last year, Paul Kneeland moved from a produce directorship of Roche Bros. in Wellesley Hills, MA, to become vice president of produce and floral for Kings. Mr. Kneeland had been a leader of the New England Produce Council since its beginning, so this link has now expanded to include Kings.
Ms. Sullivan said that the purpose of the NEPC expo is "to give people the opportunity to come and showcase their product and focus on the New England region and buyers. This benefits the smaller companies that maybe would not be able to afford a PMA show and the produce mangers who do not always have an opportunity to go to a trade show. This is somewhat affordable."
New England retail produce staff "can come and go with no real travel expenses," she continued. No airfare is required, and because it runs just one day, even hotel expenses are unnecessary.
"This helps the retail buying office to expose their managers to vendors, who want to see them," she said. "Produce managers are on the front line with consumers, so suppliers want to educate them on their products. It's a win- win for exhibitors and retailers."
Furthermore, the show "is a lot of fun," she added. "The people are great. Hopefully the weather cooperates. Some people expect to see each other at this event. One [supplier] company has arranged a sales meeting in Boston so their people can come to our event. It is a great show and I'd like to tell people, 'Don't miss this great event! Come visit the New England Produce & Floral Expo!' "
This year's program will be different in that there is no keynote speaker. Instead, at the opening session, attendees will participate in a game: "Produce Family Feud." This ties in with the 2008 theme, "TV Time with NEPC."
For "Produce Family Feud," there will be assigned teams of buyers, vendors and brokers constructed to be a cross section of the produce industry. The teams will compete against one another to answer produce and non-produce questions. "This should be a lot of fun," Ms. Sullivan said.
There will also be awards given for the booths that best typify the television theme. And there will be awards given for the floral design contest that will precede the expo.
In the middle of the expo day, Steven Shipley, director of culinary relations for Johnson & Wales University, will give cooking demonstrations, using products supplied by the six sponsors of the demonstration.
Dustin Pedroia, who plays second base for the Boston Red Sox, will appear from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m at the booths of Apio Inc. and Turbana Corp. The council will develop its growing connection with the Red Sox on May 14 when Sunny Valley International Inc. again hosts a dinner at Fenway Park.
