Foodservice Conference & Expo

—Produce and other food donations are more necessary than ever—

 Newark, Del., August 16, 2011 — At the end of the day on July 31, as the Produce Marketing Association’s (PMA) 30^th anniversary 2011 Foodservice Conference & Exposition wound to a close in Monterey, Calif., in came the cavalry.

Newark, Del., July 11, 2011— Meeting the needs of providing fresh produce to future generations depends largely on the training and ability of the next generation of foodservice providers. Produce Marketing Association will address this critical issue throughout the 2011 Foodservice Conference & Exposition in Monterey, Calif., USA, July 29-31.With the goal of attracting, developing and retaining talent for future leadership and growth, PMA’s Foundation for Industry Talent has several strategic events and activities planned throughout the conference.

Traceback capability is nothing new to the produce industry. It is a capability many companies have had internally for a long time, according to panelists participating in a workshop on the Produce Traceability Initiative, during the PMA's Foodservice Conference & Exposition. The problem, according to the panelists, is that the in-house systems currently in place in different companies at different levels throughout the supply chain are not compatible, making traceback of a product from one end of the supply chain to the other difficult and time-consuming.

Attendees of the Produce Marketing Association’s Foodservice Conference & Exposition probably spent most of their time discussing produce with those from the earlier stages of the supply chain, but a workshop panel and culinary demonstrations gave them a chance to hear from the end users: chefs. “It’s not just about putting proportionally more vegetables on the plate.

At the PMA's 2009 Foodservice Conference & Exposition, PMA President Bryan Silbermann announced a new collaborative initiative among three industry associations with the objective of doubling produce consumption in foodservice over the next decade.  At the opening general session of the 2010 PMA Foodservice conference, Mr. Silbermann and a panel of six top foodservice and supply chain executives talked about the progress that is being made and what more is needed to make the realization of that goal a reality.

Newark, Del. —Produce Marketing Association’s (PMA) 2010 Foodservice Conference & Exposition held July 30-Aug. 1 in Monterey, California, USA, featured many notable milestones, including:

The Produce Marketing Association’s annual foodservice show was bigger than ever. The Newark, Del.-based association attracted nearly 1,700 people for the Foodservice Conference & Exposition, a 15% more than in 2009, said Bryan Silbermann, PMA president and chief executive officer.

Rich Dachman, vice president of produce for Sysco Inc., is this year’s Foodservice Achievement Award recipient, given by The Packer to recognize significant contribution to produce’s role in the foodservice industry. Dachman accepted the award from The Packer editor Greg Johnson at the Produce Marketing Association’s Foodservice Conference and Exposition Aug. 1.

With the goal of providing "geek-level" knowledge of fresh pear usage and handling to foodservice operators and distributors, the Portland, OR-based Pear Bureau Northwest has developed a mini seminar, How to Become a Pear Nerd. The seven- to 10-minute educational presentation will be conducted by the Pear Bureau Northwest at the Produce Marketing Association's foodservice expo Aug. 1 in Monterey, CA.

Want to grow your foodservice business? Then you won’t want to miss PMA’s Foodservice Conference & Exposition July 30-Aug. 1. Join us to learn about current trends, issues, topics and solutions and check out the latest and future products and services at the expo. Gain access to key industry people – register today, advance registration closes July 16! For news and updates, follow @PMAFSC on Twitter, and check out PMA on Facebook.