DALLAS, TX - As the Produce Marketing Association wrapped its inaugural Foodservice: Delivered event last week, I knew exactly who I wanted to chat with as the team reflected on the show. As DMA Solutions continues to be a voice of and for the industry, Vice President Megan Zweig joined me to talk about the state of the industry and the first-ever event.

“The team at DMA Solutions was extremely happy to attend PMA Foodservice: Delivered and learn more from the people experiencing and navigating the challenges facing the foodservice industry today. From a supplier perspective, it is clear to our team now more than ever that foodservice operators need solutions that are scalable in this new environment and way of conducting business,” Megan shares with me. “Suppliers that are clear on their product offerings relative to fresh-cut, value-added, and blended solutions are going to be positioning themselves to better serve the foodservice industry to serve the immediate need.”

As the in-person meetings and trade events that we are so used to in our industry remain a vision on the horizon and only a dream for now, I asked Megan how she thought the platform succeeded in generating engagement in the absence of physical conventions.

“After attending two virtual tradeshows during the pandemic, I think the major lesson for marketers in our industry is that we need to be prepared to navigate the changes between one virtual show to the next,” Megan reflects. “As a team of marketers, we identified that the layout of the online portal for PMA Foodservice: Delivered was very simple to navigate. We felt that the sessions were properly timed, not extending too long on any one session. And we appreciated the ability to view sessions that had already passed so we could keep up with the education in light of our busy schedules!”

For DMA Solutions, the team’s vision and goal for attending foodservice was 100 percent education-based. The marketing mavens made it a goal to not only learn more about the state of the foodservice sector of the fresh produce industry, but to also glean knowledge that they could transform into solutions for their clients.

“We know that our marketing colleagues in the industry are counting on us to understand the ins and outs of various virtual tradeshow formats as we face future shows in 2020,” Megan expresses. “We were inspired to put ourselves in the shoes of a foodservice operator and what they might be going through at this time. Suppliers are in a unique position to serve their needs if they lead with empathy first and cater to their needs accordingly.”

For supplier brands, DMA recommends promoting fresh-cut, pre-cooked/prepped, packaging solutions that encourage and elevate sanitation while promoting gourmet/inspired menu items to attract diners to restaurants.

“Diners are seeking inspiration and when they ‘get out’ they want to try something new that they would not normally make at home. What a great time to drive demand with new, inspired, and fresh flavors on menus!” Megan wraps up.

I could bend this woman’s ear for days! DMA has the gift of having leading-edge hearts and minds on its team and so, for the benefit of all, I’ll take a ticket and get in line.

DMA Solutions