Over 20,000 expected at PMA Fresh Summit
The Produce Marketing Association’s Fresh Summit Convention & Expo at California’s Anaheim Convention Center Oct. 17-19 has doubled the size of its floral pavilion this year, the organization announced on its website. About 78 flower growers, importers-exporters, bouquet makers, suppliers and shippers had reserved booth spaces as of late August.
Floral education sessions slated for Oct. 17 were identified by PMA in a news release as “Floral Trends: Color is Key” presented by Pantone LLC, and “The Seismic Shift of the Floral Industry” presented by Euromonitor International.
FPFC Southern California Expo draws 1,500 to Anaheim
The Fresh Produce & Floral Council’s Southern California Expo July 15 at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim drew 1,500 participants and over 200 exhibitors in 200 booths, about 40 percent representing the floral industry.
“Navigating the Future,” the show’s slogan, opened with its Keynote Awards Breakfast where Capt. Richard Phillips delivered the keynote address about his ordeal at sea after Somali pirates hijacked his ship and held him hostage for five days in 2009.
2013-14 QPMA President Gosselin caps off successful year
The theme ‘People at the Heart of the Industry’ aptly captures the intentions to highlight the great relationships that make our industry so unique as set out by outgoing QPMA President Marie Gosselin of Les Serres du St-Laurent (Savoura). Accompanied by her husband, Marc Boutet, and alongside co-hosts Convention Chair Enrico Charest of Sobeys Quebec Inc. and his partner, Marie-Pierre Daigneault, Gosselin capped an eventful year with a successful closing banquet.
Specialty cut flower growers select the Mid-Atlantic for annual show
Specialty cut flower growers from across the country will head to the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States Oct. 19-22 for the 2014 national conference and tradeshow of the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers in Newark, DE. The theme of the show is Growing Growers, according to a news release.
WF&FSA adds two new showcases to 2014 event
The 2014 Floral Distribution Conference Oct. 22-24 at the Trump National Doral Resort in Miami will focus on networking, business opportunities and education. Under the banner “Connect, Learn, and Grow,” the two-and-a-half day event is designed to provide high-impact value, according to an association news release.
Airline processing of imported flowers continues to grow and improve
Miami International Airport is the No. 1 United States airport for imported perishables with 91.4 percent of all imported cut flowers arriving at MIA and 70 percent of all perishables. These volumes have increased over the years and allowed the various businesses at MIA to grow and to offer quick service.
A sea change for flower shipping
The future of transporting fresh-cut flowers worldwide could quite literally undergo a sea change. Maersk Container Industry of Denmark is partnering with Boston-based technology company Primaira LLC to develop an air cleaning system in Star Cool Integrated refrigerated shipping containers, according to a company news release. The Bluezone patented technology uses an ozone concentration 300 times higher than anything else on the market to eliminate molds, fungi, ethylene and bacteria. This will increase the geographical reach of containerized transport.
Quebec celebrates potato varieties
More than 150 potato producers turned out to participate in the inaugural “Day of Varieties” Aug. 15. Quebec Parmentier organized the event in collaboration with its partners.
A first in Quebec, the day’s events were primarily dedicated to celebrating the multitude of potato varieties, 112 of which were on display — ranging from rose fingerling potatoes, creamy purples and running the gamut of white, yellow and red potato varieties.
A look at the complexities of the floral supply chain
There aren’t many products that awaken the senses and evoke feelings as much as a beautiful bouquet of fresh flowers. However, what many consumers don’t realize is how extremely complicated and complex the process of successfully bringing flowers from field to retail shelves is. Some of the most challenging parts of implementing a seamless floral supply chain are proper maintenance of the cold chain, increased speed to market, and controlling cost.
Trucks keep fresh flowers flowing
Reliable transportation, whether by land, air, or sea, is important to any industry. In the floral industry, reliability rises to a entirely new level because of the need for speedy, on-time, temperature-controlled service. Palm City, Florida-based Armellini Express Lines, Inc. is one of the few carriers dedicated specifically to the floral industry. Established in 1945, Armellini strives to provide the premium service demanded by our customers, while mindful of the critical need for the safe operation of our vehicles.