Regional differences in organic fresh produce sales

The Organic Produce Summit will look at the ways retailers are growing organic fresh produce businesses and will explore how regional players compete in different geographic areas in comparison to bigger retailers. An educational session on the subject — How Regional Retailers are Growing Organic Fresh Produce Sales — will take place at the two-day event.

The 50-minute session will be held Thursday, July 11 at 9 a.m., focusing on topics including regional tastes and flavor preferences, what items perform well in certain regions and the role of organic versus local. The panel will also explore price, selection and sizing of fresh produce and how smaller, independent grocers and farmers markets work to differentiate themselves.

The panel will be moderated by Scot Olson, president of Northwest division of FreshSource and former vice president of produce for Grocery Outlet. Retail panelists include Jeff Cady, vice president of produce and floral at Northeast Shared Services; Jilea Hemmings, owner and founder of Nourish + Bloom Market; and Jim Sullivan, vice president of produce for Yokes in the Pacific Northwest.

Held July 10-11 at the Monterey Conference Center, the Organic Produce Summit features educational sessions, keynote presentations and showcases solutions and innovations across the organic fresh produce industry. Bringing together over 175 organic growers, shippers and processors from all corners of the business, the summit provides a comprehensive one-stop-shop for retailers and buyers in the industry.

Registration for Organic Produce Summit 2024 is open to qualified retailers and general attendees.