Flavor 1st Growers & Packers has eight generations of history behind it, packing more than 30 different varieties of produce, all of which are tracked from field-to-fork using state-of-the-art distribution programs, labeling and procedures.

As it has since 1999, the company is looking forward to attending the Southeast Produce Council’s Southern Exposure show this year, exhibiting at booth No. 740.

“The SEPC show is always one that we look forward to attending each year, as it is in the middle of our backyard of farm locations in the southeast,” said Seth Grant, part of the sales team for the Mills River, NC-based company. “We will be looking to connect and catch up with longtime partners and customers and connecting with new potential customers. This is a must-attend event for us simply due to the proximity to our farms (FL, GA, SC, NC), our main packinghouse and headquarters (NC), our retail customer base and the final consumer that we serve, which are ultimately our neighbors.”

Joining Grant at the show will be Kevin Campbell (tomato procurement and sales), Chris Gach (veg procurement and sales) and Kirby Johnson (co-owner/farmer), and they are looking forward to catching up with attendees.

“When people stop by our booth, they will see a full array of the vegetable and tomato items that we grow, pack and ship on a daily basis, along with a variety of packaging options that we have for each item — all displayed on an old school farmer’s market type of shelving and basket style display,” Grant said. “We are expecting to spend time with our longtime partners and customers. It’s very important to be able to put faces with names and meet in person, as so much of our communication these days are from behind screens and phones. I like to know who I’m talking to in my day-to-day business.”

With many in the industry concerned about the talk of tariffs and how that will impact business, Grant believes that will be a big topic of conversation around the show floor.

“Being able to showcase our strengths, connect in conversation with others attending the show, and displaying the high level of product and packaging that we are able to produce daily will be a successful show for us,” Grant said. “I want people to come by our booth and see that we offer a high-quality end product on a large variety of veg and tomato items that will look good on their store shelves — and draw customers back for repeat business.”

He’s also interested in seeing what both educational sessions will provide.

“I think that Session 2: The Power of Produce 2025 could provide a good learning opportunity and let us see produce from a different angle, as they have retailers that sit on that panel for that session,” Grant said. “On another note, I’m interested in seeing some of the new packaging options this year. It’s always interesting in seeing new, creative ways to deliver a quality product to the consumer.”

In 2025, Flavor 1st Growers & Packers are continuing its mission to maximize items with all of its current customers, as far as building out trucks, and growing within regions that it already has a strong presence in.

“We have a couple of big projects as far as packaging and lines that we are looking at right now, but it’s early in the process,” Grant said.