Buyers Share Perspectives on International Fresh Produce Association's Foodservice Conference; Julie Olivarria, Robin Fisher, Jim Richter, and Shonia Hall Comment
WASHINGTON, DC & NEWARK, DE - Monterey, California, is the place to be on July 28–29, as industry members prep to descend on the idyllic coastal locale for International Fresh Produce Association’s (IFPA) Foodservice Conference. This year’s event boasts a record number of buyers attending—800 in total—emphasizing the demand for fresh produce in the foodservice space.
Buy-side attendees will flock to this year’s IFPA Foodservice Conference from across the foodservice supply chain, a release explained. As they make their way through the event, they will have the opportunity to rub elbows with a myriad of suppliers from growers, shippers, and processors to transportation companies, technology providers, and packaging solutions names.
Just a week away, here is what some buyers are saying about the upcoming experience:
Julie Olivarria, Vice President, Produce, Sysco
“In addition to what we’ll see on the Expo floor and hear from program speakers, I’ve always felt the IFPA Foodservice Conference provides a tremendous value for buying teams to connect with each other and members of the grower and supplier communities. Now more than ever, strong supplier relationships are incredibly important as produce continues to grow across foodservice channels. Our time in Monterey will give us all an opportunity to re-energize and draw inspiration for what’s possible for produce and where we go next.”
Robin Fisher, Category Manager, P.F. Chang’s China Bistro
“The Foodservice Conference is an annual must-attend for me to connect with growers/shippers, distributors, and industry contacts on a global scale. It is a wonderful time to reconnect with industry friends in the beautiful setting of Monterey, California.”
Jim Richter, President and Chief Executive Officer, Amerifresh
“Our 50 US Foods and Amerifresh team members are energized about attending Foodservice 2022. It is important for us to meet with grower/shippers, explore new innovative products, and strengthen our partnerships across the supply chain. The event is great for all of us to spend time together as we build on important business relationships for the future.”
Shonia Hall, Director, School Nutrition Services, Oklahoma City Public Schools
“I’m looking forward to seeing what the IFPA Foodservice Conference has to offer and to collaborating with other K–12 school nutrition operators. Each day, we serve 32,000 students breakfast, lunch, snacks, and supper at school sites across our city, with all meals including fruits and vegetables. We also have the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP), enabling us to introduce our kids to fun and unique produce, like when this past year we served rambutans and persimmons. We purchase a lot of produce each year, and so I’m excited to see what’s new, ask questions, and just spend a few days thinking about opportunities to enhance produce choices for my students.”
If you would like to attend this highly anticipated event, registration is still open. Click here to find out more.
For more updates on the IFPA Foodservice Conference and other industry occasions, keep a tab open to AndNowUKnow.
