NEWARK, DE - As members of the industry get ready for a unique opportunity to come together to explore innovative resources while expanding their relationships with other leaders in the sector, Produce Marketing Association is preparing attendees for the fun-filled 2021 Foodservice Conference and Expo taking place July 21–22 in Monterey, California. To do so, the association has offered valuable insight into what participants can expect.

Buyer participation is strong for this year’s show, with buyers making up 30 percent of attendance, according to a release, offering a very high ratio of buyers to suppliers. The Hosted Buyer Program, which launched this year, has contributed to the high count, helping bring buyers who needed financial support to the event.

This year, the PMA Foodservice Show’s Best of Show Contest will be a Chef’s Edition judged by Shaun O’Neale, Owner and Executive Chef at Larra in Las Vegas, Nevada, and Winner of MasterChef Season 7 on FOX. O’Neale will select winners for Best of Show, Best in Show Runner Up, and Best Product Promo, in addition to joining as a special guest at the Networking Reception at the Barns on Thursday evening, where he will lead a recipe demo and engage with guests. In addition, the winners of the United Fresh Produce Excellence in Foodservice Award will be attending the conference and recognized during the General Session.

While many social distancing and mask requirements have been lifted for vaccinated individuals, the expo and meeting rooms will be set up to allow for more social distancing throughout the conference, and exhibitors will be serving samples in easy-to-carry, single-serving containers. Read more about the health and safety measures here.

For those who will not be able to attend the conference in person, participation is still possible, as PMA will be live streaming the General Session in the PMA Mobile app at 9 a.m. PST, which will be available for everyone, regardless of being registered for the event.

The weekly Virtual Town Hall will be filmed and available to watch on Wednesday, with panelists including Steve Grinstead, CEO FreshEdge; Rich Dachman, CEO, Brighter Bites; Nichole Towell, Senior Director, Marketing and Packaging Procurement, Duda Farm Fresh Foods; and Chef Todd Fisher, Culinary Ambassador, Duda Farm Fresh Foods.

Those who cannot attend can also check out all of the exhibitors online and reach out using the “My Show Planner” tool. The My Show Planner allows participants to see who is exhibiting, search by products and services, check out the Fresh Ideas Showcase, schedule meetings for onsite or online and more.

For informal meetings or to step away for a break during the show, the Monterey Conference Center Level 2 Foyer and Jeffers Plaza will serve as a networking lounge with beverages served.

In addition to all the other exciting opportunities, Brighter Bites has announced that all attendees registered to attend the conference can also sign up to help give back to local families in a special Brighter Bites networking and volunteer experience.

Let the countdown to the PMA Foodservice Show begin.

Produce Marketing Association