NASHVILLE, TN - The shows produced by Southeast Produce Council are always known for their warmth and networking opportunities, and this year’s Southern Innovations was no different. With hundreds of buyers in attendance and over 200 companies exhibiting, the show floor was a hustle and bustle of business meetings, impromptu discussions, and countless laughs.

"Southern Innovations was a No.1 hit on both the country and rock charts! We started out a little bit country and ended up with a whole lot of rock 'n' roll! We felt the weekend had something for everyone, beginning with the valuable data from our What's New? report featuring our new 360 view from the consumer, retailer, and shipper perspectives," shared David Sherrod, President and Chief Executive Officer of Southeast Produce Council. "Our Good Seeds and Southern Roots programs are delivering on making us better people as we go through this world we call produce. The feeling around the event was truly inspirational and uplifting."

The show kicked off for many at the Welcome Reception on Thursday, September 12, before attendees dived into educational sessions and networking opportunities such as the association’s Southern Roots Women’s Luncheon and the Good Seeds MENtor program on Friday.

"Dan’l Mackey Almy and Megan Zweig delivered phenomenal insights on the Enneagram at the Southern Roots luncheon,’ said Kristin Yerecic Scott, SEPC's incoming Board Chair and Yerecic Label's Executive Vice President of Customer Experience and Administration. "They taught us critical insights about the growth, stressors, virtues, passions, and so much more relative to our Enneagram personality types."

As someone who knows their Enneagram type intimately—hello fellow 9's!—I can imagine the takeaways from this networking event.

The excitement throughout the show was palpable, a feeling that Jeff Cady, Vice President of Produce and Floral for Northeast Shared Services, said was tough to shake.

"The Southern Innovations show again exceeded expectations," Jeff told me. "Every year attendance is going up and the positive vibes are multiplying. It was great visiting with existing partners as well as getting to know new potential suppliers. Every vendor I asked echoed my sentiment that this show is becoming a can't-miss event!"

Attendees were also given top-notch information regarding the state of the industry due to the fourth edition of its What’s New? consumer research educational session.

"Southern Innovations offers a perfect platform to showcase our new products and supply chain innovation at Westfalia," shared Raina Nelson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Westfalia Fruit Marketing USA. "We also gain invaluable insights on new and emerging consumer trends through the SEPC’s What’s New? report. We always have a great time with our retail and foodservice partners and learn their perspective on innovation as well. It is an event we look forward to every year!"

To learn more from this educational session, click here for additional info.

David Sherrod also spoke to the importance of this session.

“The produce industry is delivering and delivering big,” he shared in a release. “The fourth edition of our research found that more consumers eat fresh produce daily and this growth corresponds to a 2.6 percent increase in fresh produce pounds in the latest Circana data. Fresh produce is the strongest of the perimeter departments and the study identified many more opportunities for produce growth in years to come.”

Gary Baker, Senior Director of Fresh for Merchant Distributors and SEPC Treasurer and Conference Chairman, added his thoughts.

"SEPC's Southern Innovations event this year was exceptional. Attendees gained valuable insights into the latest developments in the produce industry, featuring such notable speakers as Anne-Marie Roerink and Ben Watson, who discussed the importance of authenticity and discovering one's identity at our Good Seed MENtor Program," Baker noted. The event was further enhanced by an impressive vendor showcase at the expo and concluded with a vibrant 80’s-themed celebration at the Chairman's Dinner Dance."

As attendees wandered the show floor on Friday, they were also able to take a peek at the Wall of Innovations showcase and see what companies—and competitors—are up to.

The hunger to deliver solutions could be felt across both sides, as retailers and suppliers rubbed shoulders and discussed challenges of the day.

Returning from the whirlwind of the show floor, some reflected on the importance of such an event. Mike Roberts of Harps Food Stores was one of them.

"SEPC's Southern Innovations 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee, was a hit! From the Welcome Reception to the SEPC University Educational Session roundtable featuring Anne-Marie Roerink and the What’s New? presentation to the packed show floor," Roberts said. "Over 200 booths with hundreds of buyers in attendance – it was the place to be this past week! The atmosphere is so relaxed, and the membership is like a family which makes for a great experience for everyone in attendance! Capping off the event was some fun with golf, a local tour, and sporting clay shooting; then crowning the day was a great throwback to the 80’s at the Chairman’s Dinner Dance with Foreigner, Journey, and Asia performing! It was an amazing way to wrap up a great week!"

The final day began with the Founders Memorial Golf Tournament as well as the Martin Eubanks Sporting Clays Classic.

The winners are as follows:

Founders Memorial Golf Tournament

• 1^st Place: Dan Acevedo, Frank Perri, Dax Cooke, and Logan Hamburg
• 2^nd Place: Dug Schwalls, Chandler Grimes, Caleb Medders, and Tomas Gonzales
• 3^rd Place: Dave Yeager, Dustin Blank, Adam Litch, Andrew Scott
• Longest Drive: Tara Utrup, Darrell Allen
• Closest to the Pin: Jeff Bailey, Kevin Keough, Michael Gatz (not pictured), Brandon Parker
• Most Honest: David Sherrod, Tracy Edenfield

Martin Eubanks Sporting Clays Classic

• 1^st Place: Mike Chirico, George Uribe, Allan Napolitano, Michael Napolitano, and Mark Pandol
• 2^nd Place: Jimmy Alderman, Jesse Taylor, Devin Vaishville, Melissa McCormick, and BJ McCormick
• 3^rd Place: Austin Farrow, Molly Edenfield Farrow, Kelly Stainner, Scott Butler, Justin Johnson, and Richard Johnson
• Highest Individual Score: Mark Pandol

"From SEPC’s original fall conference, it is nice to see how much the show has evolved—while still maintaining that intimacy we know and love from SEPC!" Sabrina Pokomandy, Account Manager for Highline Mushrooms, shared with me. "The show format gives grower/shippers quality time with the retailers, and the retailers make the time to spend valuable minutes at each booth. Plus, the educational content is great!

As we gear up for the next round of trade show coverage, stick with AndNowUKnow!