Jackpot in Las Vegas -- United Fresh exceeds expectations
Jackpot in Las Vegas -- United Fresh exceeds expectations
LAS VEGAS, NV -- One might expect Tom Stenzel, president of the United Fresh Produce Association, to speak enthusiastically about his association's just-concluded convention and exposition, held here May 4-7. And he did. But so did many others.
"This was a great convention for us," said Frank Maconachy, president of Ramsay Highlander in Salinas, CA.
"We saw growers, we saw wholesalers and we saw retailers," said Dan Vach?, vice president of foods for Sensitech Inc., headquartered in Beverly, MA. "We have customers in all of those categories, which is why it is important that we be here."
"We were very pleased with the traffic," said Keith Kato, general manager of Dulcinea Farms LLC, a multi-state grower of specialty melons and other items based in Ladera Ranch, CA.
Emeliano Escobedo, market representative for APEAM, who exhibited in the MexBest booth, said that it was an excellent show for his commodity. "This was a good opportunity to have a longer period of time with retailers. We had a good opportunity to discuss market opportunities and get feedback for merchandising Mexican avocados."
He added that he was happy with both the flow of traffic and the quality and quantity of buyers who attended the show.
Those sentiments were echoed by many others throughout the first two days of the expo. On Monday night, Doug Ranno, chief operating officer of Salinas, CA-based Colorful Harvest, said that he saw many produce buyers during the first day and expected to see higher-level retail executives meander over to the United Fresh floor from the adjacent Food Marketing Institute expo on the following day.
Cindy Jewel, director of marketing for California Giant Berry Farms in neighboring Watsonville, CA, said it was a great show for her company.
Mr. Vach? commented that while the retail numbers might not be tremendous, that is more a reflection on the state of the industry than on the expo itself. "You're not going to see 200 retailers because we don't have 200 retailers in our industry anymore." He listed a handful of retailers that he saw on the convention floor and remarked that the list represents well over 50 percent of the supermarket industry. "Sometimes people have unrealistic expectations," he added.
Mr. Kato said that his firm especially likes the timing of the United convention. "It is great for us because it leads us into the season. We can talk about what we have going on right now."
Mr. Maconachy, whose company designs and manufactures custom harvesting machinery, said that combining the United and the Fresh Tech expos was a great benefit for his company, since it gives him the opportunity to see both the traditional growers and the processing people under one roof at one time. "This is a good time to touch bases with our existing customers and meet new people. I talked to some people today from Australia and Europe that expressed interest in our equipment."
During the general business sessions on both Monday and Tuesday, session moderators revealed that the booth count was much higher than last year's and the show's attendance had exceeded the attendance of any United show since 1995. United representatives confirmed those comments, stating that there were 285 exhibitors and that the preregistered attendees alone had outnumbered total attendance of any show in the previous 13 years. United representatives said that they did not have total attendance figures and would not have them until after the show was concluded.
Mr. Stenzel could hardly contain his enthusiasm for the show, the number of exhibitors, attendees, the venue and the overflow crowds at the general sessions and seminars.
"We have 100 new companies exhibiting this year that didn't exhibit last year at either show (United or Fresh Tech)," he said. "Some companies exhibited at both shows, so we ended up this year with a net gain of about 60 companies. Putting the two shows together was a big deal. We hoped it would work, we thought it would work, but you are never sure."
The United Fresh executive said that several weeks earlier, the board of directors saw the registration numbers and voted to return to the city in 2009. FMI is not holding an expo in 2009, and so United will be going it alone for the first time in a handful of years.
"We think booth sales will be up," said Mr. Stenzel. "A number of FMI exhibitors have expressed an interest in coming into our show next year - mostly companies that are in the prepared-food category. There are about 100 companies we will target."
Mr. Stenzel also believes that a stand-alone United Fresh show in Las Vegas will be able to attract more buyers and executives from the foodservice arena. As a retail-dominated organization, FMI appeals to that sector sometimes to the exclusion of foodservice operators. Las Vegas, with its mega hotels and world-class dining, is a foodservice haven, and United Fresh staff used the opportunity this year to tout next year's show.
In 2009, United will hold the show and all the events at the Venetian resort. The board has not yet committed to a venue for its 2010 convention and show, but Mr. Stenzel indicated that Las Vegas would again be given serious consideration. FMI will return to the city with its own show, so the prospects of a combined show will be explored.
In fact, Mr. Stenzel intimated that Las Vegas could serve as the association's convention town even beyond that. "From a competitive standpoint, we like Las Vegas," he said.
If the opinions of a handful of exhibitors truly represent the whole, United Fresh hit the jackpot in 2008.
"This was a great convention for us," said Frank Maconachy, president of Ramsay Highlander in Salinas, CA.
"We saw growers, we saw wholesalers and we saw retailers," said Dan Vach?, vice president of foods for Sensitech Inc., headquartered in Beverly, MA. "We have customers in all of those categories, which is why it is important that we be here."
"We were very pleased with the traffic," said Keith Kato, general manager of Dulcinea Farms LLC, a multi-state grower of specialty melons and other items based in Ladera Ranch, CA.
Emeliano Escobedo, market representative for APEAM, who exhibited in the MexBest booth, said that it was an excellent show for his commodity. "This was a good opportunity to have a longer period of time with retailers. We had a good opportunity to discuss market opportunities and get feedback for merchandising Mexican avocados."
He added that he was happy with both the flow of traffic and the quality and quantity of buyers who attended the show.
Those sentiments were echoed by many others throughout the first two days of the expo. On Monday night, Doug Ranno, chief operating officer of Salinas, CA-based Colorful Harvest, said that he saw many produce buyers during the first day and expected to see higher-level retail executives meander over to the United Fresh floor from the adjacent Food Marketing Institute expo on the following day.
Cindy Jewel, director of marketing for California Giant Berry Farms in neighboring Watsonville, CA, said it was a great show for her company.
Mr. Vach? commented that while the retail numbers might not be tremendous, that is more a reflection on the state of the industry than on the expo itself. "You're not going to see 200 retailers because we don't have 200 retailers in our industry anymore." He listed a handful of retailers that he saw on the convention floor and remarked that the list represents well over 50 percent of the supermarket industry. "Sometimes people have unrealistic expectations," he added.
Mr. Kato said that his firm especially likes the timing of the United convention. "It is great for us because it leads us into the season. We can talk about what we have going on right now."
Mr. Maconachy, whose company designs and manufactures custom harvesting machinery, said that combining the United and the Fresh Tech expos was a great benefit for his company, since it gives him the opportunity to see both the traditional growers and the processing people under one roof at one time. "This is a good time to touch bases with our existing customers and meet new people. I talked to some people today from Australia and Europe that expressed interest in our equipment."
During the general business sessions on both Monday and Tuesday, session moderators revealed that the booth count was much higher than last year's and the show's attendance had exceeded the attendance of any United show since 1995. United representatives confirmed those comments, stating that there were 285 exhibitors and that the preregistered attendees alone had outnumbered total attendance of any show in the previous 13 years. United representatives said that they did not have total attendance figures and would not have them until after the show was concluded.
Mr. Stenzel could hardly contain his enthusiasm for the show, the number of exhibitors, attendees, the venue and the overflow crowds at the general sessions and seminars.
"We have 100 new companies exhibiting this year that didn't exhibit last year at either show (United or Fresh Tech)," he said. "Some companies exhibited at both shows, so we ended up this year with a net gain of about 60 companies. Putting the two shows together was a big deal. We hoped it would work, we thought it would work, but you are never sure."
The United Fresh executive said that several weeks earlier, the board of directors saw the registration numbers and voted to return to the city in 2009. FMI is not holding an expo in 2009, and so United will be going it alone for the first time in a handful of years.
"We think booth sales will be up," said Mr. Stenzel. "A number of FMI exhibitors have expressed an interest in coming into our show next year - mostly companies that are in the prepared-food category. There are about 100 companies we will target."
Mr. Stenzel also believes that a stand-alone United Fresh show in Las Vegas will be able to attract more buyers and executives from the foodservice arena. As a retail-dominated organization, FMI appeals to that sector sometimes to the exclusion of foodservice operators. Las Vegas, with its mega hotels and world-class dining, is a foodservice haven, and United Fresh staff used the opportunity this year to tout next year's show.
In 2009, United will hold the show and all the events at the Venetian resort. The board has not yet committed to a venue for its 2010 convention and show, but Mr. Stenzel indicated that Las Vegas would again be given serious consideration. FMI will return to the city with its own show, so the prospects of a combined show will be explored.
In fact, Mr. Stenzel intimated that Las Vegas could serve as the association's convention town even beyond that. "From a competitive standpoint, we like Las Vegas," he said.
If the opinions of a handful of exhibitors truly represent the whole, United Fresh hit the jackpot in 2008.
