SEPC's 2024 STEP-UPP Retail class concludes spring tour

SEPC's 2024 STEP-UPP Retail class concludes spring tour

April 23, 2024

The Southeast Produce Council's STEP-UPP Retail class held its spring tour the second week in April, taking participants into the field and on plant tours to gain hands-on experience in how to partner with growers more effectively.

Looking at the bagging process for greens at Superfit Greens. — Looking at the bagging process for greens at
Superfit Greens.

This year's retail class members are Jenna Busby of The Giant Co., Heather Depuydt of Lowes Foods, Alicia Lewis of Harps Food Stores, Joshua Martin of United Supermarkets, Kyle Paluszewski of W. Lee Flowers, Karen Pellegrini of Walmart, Rosey Reuder of Target, Kim Rollins of Food Lion, Amy Self of Schnucks, Joseph Shea of Loblaw, John Sidel of Merchants Distributors and Lennie Spears of Food City.

The Southeast Training Education Program for Upcoming Produce Professionals is SEPC's flagship program giving retail and foodservice produce professionals a greater understanding of the industry through an emphasis on strategic orientation, personal leadership and hands-on field experience.

Leading the class members on the tour were STEP-UPP Retail Committee co-chair Mike Roberts of Harps Food Stores, who also serves as SEPC chairman of the board; STEP-UPP Retail Committee co-chair Gary Baker of Merchants Distributors, who also serves as SEPC treasurer; Faye Westfall of Where the Food Comes From/Southeast Produce Weekly, who is an SEPC past chairman and current STEP-UPP Retail Committee member; and Molly Edenfield Farrow, SEPC staff member in charge of member relations.

The STEP-UPP Retail class tour began April 9 as participants arrived that evening for food and fellowship at The Manchester Arms Pub in Atlanta, a group favorite.

The next day, the class began the tour bright and early with an amazing series of facility, farm and field tours hosted by the following SEPC sponsors: EarthFresh Foods, Pure Flavor and Genuine Georgia/Lane Southern Orchards.

The day began near Atlanta with a tour of the EarthFresh facility, led by Pedro Lopez, director of operations, and his team to learn about their innovative potato operation.

The class then traveled to Pure Flavor to tour its impressive greenhouse tomato facility in Fort Valley, GA, led by Tiffany Sabelli, senior director of sales, and Miguel Puebla, the head grower.

The class was then hosted by Duke Lane of Genuine Georgia and his team at Lane Southern Orchards, where the class members viewed the packingline for peaches, tested their pruning skills in a peach orchard, had an opportunity to drive the pecan shaker and toured the pecan packing facility. They then had an amazing lunch where they were treated with fresh strawberry and peach ice cream.

At the end of the busy day, the class celebrated with a wonderful dinner at Pond Restaurant in Warner Robbin, GA.

The tour resumed Thursday with more fantastic facility, farm and field tours, hosted by the following SEPC sponsors: L.G. Herndon Jr. Farms/SuperFit Greens, Bland Farms and Shuman Farms.

That morning, the class headed to L.G. Herndon Jr. Farms in Lyons, GA, where Bo Herndon, owner and president, and John Williams, director of sales, shared the variety of products they grow and provided an awesome tour of the SuperFit Greens facility.

The class then stopped by the Vidalia Onion Museum, which provided an interactive, historical experience.

Next, the class members headed to lunch at another of their favorites, Hardware Pizza, where Cliff Riner of G&R Farms and chairman of the Vidalia Onion Museum, along with Aries Haygood, a grower of Vidalia onions, gave them additional information about the present and future of the commodity.

After lunch, the class was hosted by Troy Bland and Sloan Lott of Bland Farms for an extensive tour of their facility, including historical background shared by Delbert Bland.

The final excursion of the day was to Shuman Farms, where the class learned even more about Vidalia onions. John Shuman and his team, including his son Luke and his brother Mark, shared new additions to their facilities, which were set to be in operation by April 17, the official starting date for the 2024 Vidalia onion season.

The day concluded with a very nice dinner at Elements in Lyon, GA, providing an opportunity for the class to engage with each of the onion grower host companies along with SEPC staff members.

Culminating the trip, the class toured the Paul Anderson Youth Home, one of the SEPC Cares charitable organizations, before departing for home. Victoria Shuman, PAYH home advancement officer, was joined by her fellow staff members as well as Mark Shuman, SEPC PAYH Committee chair, to share their ministry with the class, including how SEPC supports the PAYH Goodness Garden, PAYH Ag Business Class, annual PAYH Bike Ride and upcoming PAYH golf tournament.

The graduation ceremony for the STEP-UPP Retail Class of 2024 will be held during Southern Innovations on Sept. 14 in Nashville, TN. For more information about the STEP-UPP program as well as other SEPC educational offerings, visit the education page of the SEPC website.

At the Bland Farms packinghouse.

The group in one of Bland Farms' onion fields.

John Sidel of MDI enjoying an onion.

Troy Bland, CEO at Bland Farms, and the group in the cold storage at Bland Farms.

Troy Bland, CEO of Bland Farms, with the class.

Mike Roberts, co-chair of the STEP-UPP Retail Committee, and Sloan Lott, director of sales at Bland Farms, enjoying some onions.

The group in an onion field at Bland Farms.

Class member John Sidel of MDI checking out the strawberries at Lane Southern Orchards.

STEP-UPP Retail Committee members Mike Roberts, Faye Westfall and Gary Baker, along with the class members, relaxing after an informative tour of Lane Southern Orchards.

The STEP-UPP Retail class enjoyed the greeting at Lane Southern Orchards.

Victoria Shuman, advancement officer at the Paul Anderson Youth Home.

Victoria Shuman, advancement officer at the Paul Anderson Youth Home, and part of the group in one of the boys' classrooms.

Molly Edenfield Farrow of SEPC, Victoria Shuman of PAYH and Faye Westfall of SEPC.

Outside the home of Glenda and the late Paul Anderson.

Mark Shuman (in pink shirt) of Shuman Farms told the group how his wife, Victoria, first became involved with the Paul Anderson Youth Home.

Miguel Puebla, head grower and general manager at Pure Flavor, speaking to the class.

The group at Shuman Farms.

John Shuman (standing in blue shirt), president and CEO of Shuman Farms, greeted the group at the Cobbtown packing facility.

Mike Roberts, co-chair of the STEP-UPP Retail Committee, displayed a Vidalia onion at Shuman Farms.

Mark Shuman (center) of Shuman Farms talked to the group.

Part of the class during the tour at Superfit Greens.

Bo Herndon (center), owner of Superfit Greens, told the class how his company was founded.

The group at the end of the tour at Superfit Greens.

John Williams, director of sales and marketing at Superfit Greens, showed some collard greens to the class.

At Elements for the final dinner were Mike Roberts of Harps Food Stores and SEPC chairman of the board; David Sherrod, president and CEO of SEPC; and John Shuman, president and CEO of Shuman Farms.

At Elements for the final dinner were Elizabeth Herndon, Drew Jones and Sky Jones of Herndon Farms with Victoria Shuman of PAYH.

At Elements for the final dinner were class member Joseph Shea of Loblaw, class member Joshua Martin of United Supermarkets, Madison Herndon and Jason Herndon of Herndon Farms, and Mark Shuman of Shuman Farms.

At Elements for the final dinner were Lana Shuman, Luke Shuman and Natalie Parker of Shuman Farms with Sarah Sherrod of SEPC.

Part of the STEP-UPP Retail group enjoying the final dinner at Elements.

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