MONTREAL, QC, CANADA - A centennial event is one that cannot be missed, as shown by the booming attendance of fresh purveyors and buyers who turned out to celebrate 100 years of the Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) April 8–11. While the final numbers are not yet in, I watched an international and local stream of professionals pour into the Palais des Congres Montreal with contagious energy for what awaited us all.  

The organization balanced celebration and advocacy, planning for challenges ahead while noting the successes up till now.

"We have always been resilient, but resiliency is no longer enough," Ron Lemaire, CPMA President, reflected in his address to attendees an hour before cutting the ribbon on what can safely be called the largest show floor the association has hosted. 

The annual tradeshow officially began with the Chair’s Welcome Reception to kick off introductions and reconnections the evening of April 8, setting a tone for packed in attendance before the first day of CPMA’s itinerary began.

At the Delegate Breakfast on April 9, Keynote Speaker Geoff Molson, Owner, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Groupe CH, discussed realistic impacts through his own experience of today’s relevant issues while impressing upon the audience not just the necessity but the optimism of endurance—a seed we would find growing in educational sessions and addresses to follow.

Business Sessions ran concurrently on topics of interest, such as strategically integrating AI for change in the workplace or discussions on trade and market trends.

In a discussion exploring the state of the North American produce market, Ron Lemaire and John Stackhouse of RBC discussed “never letting a crisis go to waste” in recognizing that the hardest times provide a chance for long-needed change. Curious? Those who could not make it can catch the leaders’ insights in an upcoming podcast episode from the association!

Following these insights, Ron Lemaire’s State of the Industry address continued to impress upon attendees the importance and opportunities beyond resilience, leaning into taking charge with active transition. It was a powerful prologue to a discussion between Tina Lee, T&T Supermarkets Chief Executive Officer, and Davis Yung, Co-Founder of Fresh Direct Produce.

I would need several pages to encompass Tina’s energy, wisdom, and perspective, but when it comes to produce she summed it up beautifully.

“If you go to T&T you know we are a produce-forward business. We have a very high regard in produce,” Tina shared with the crowd. Explaining that she tells her kids fruit is Mother Natures’s candy, Tina said produce deserves the attention and care of being front-of-store. “Our buyers are local curators of fruit. They are not shy to go for premium-grade, export-quality, extra-sweet, extra-large, high-brix count. Take all your best stuff and introduce it to T&T because they are rewarded for taking risks like that.”

It was with thoughts of vision and culture that Tina and Davis wrapped up the morning before the excited crowd took on the first day of the trade show floor, exploring a wide range of offerings to the Canadian market.

Amid the benefits from a booming collection of exhibitors, we could also find further access to information via the Learning Lounge, where topics ranged from sustainability and building public trust to marketing among rising costs and the buy-side perspective on constant change, plus much more.

Two days of exhibiting, with networking opportunities that connected mentees to mentors, women in the industry, and young professionals in between, made for easy-going conversations and a fun energy throughout the dynamic CPMA schedule. 

Awards

With much excellence to recognize, I would be remiss not to congratulate the below innovators and standouts on receiving the below titles:

• Best Snackable Product Award: Bolthouse Fresh Foods Carrot Shakers Multipack
• Best Organic Product Award: Mucci Farms Organic Sun Drops Sweet Grape Tomatoes
• Packaging Innovation Award: Mastronardi Produce® Backyard Farms Green Leaf Lettuce
• Best New Product Award: Highline Mushrooms Sizzlin’ Hot New Stuffed Mushrooms

For a recap of CPMA by the advanced numbers, click here to read even more details of the show's impact.

It is hard to believe that the big event is coming to a close, and yet we are being seen off with one more wonderful opportunity.

For those staying just a bit longer, patience will be rewarded with a final voice of wisdom. At today’s Women in Produce Summit, Keynote Speaker Marcy Grossman shares her journey, empowering women to step into their own leadership roles and be their own best ambassadors. I can't wait to see the inspiration this will send me home with—a perfect way to put a bow on the progress and growth of the CPMA and the industry it advocates for as it celebrates 100 years!