BRENTWOOD, MO - As part of its broad and diverse influencer engagement strategy, the Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH) is bringing more than 40 retail, foodservice, culinary professionals, health and wellness experts, and lifestyle influencers to its Consumer Connection Conference this year, held in Scottsdale, Arizona, April 13-16, 2020. The PBH Consumer Connection Conference is one of the only events that unites industry leaders with this array of high-caliber ambassadors to create meaningful relationships that foster actionable solutions for consumers to eat and enjoy more fruits and vegetables every day.

“As PBH enters the next phase of our transformation, we are thrilled to grow our network with such a passionate group of ambassadors who are on the forefront of driving consumption of fruits and vegetables through the Have A Plant™ Movement,” shared Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak, President and CEO of PBH. “It takes a village to create a movement, and the time is now for the industry to embrace an all-hands-on-deck approach as we attempt to solve for what we believe is a true fruit and vegetable consumption crisis.”

According to a press release, PBH has nearly doubled its Fruit and Vegetable Ambassadors in Action (FVAA) class for 2020-2021 with 24 consumer-facing influencers who have agreed to promote and advance the Have A Plant Movement as well as fuel PBH’s digital ecosystem with unique and inspiring content, in-kind, for one full year starting in April at the conference.

“The power of influencers who make a difference in inspiring consumer behavior change is real, and PBH’s Consumer Connection Conference brings this to life for our members,” said Katie Toulouse, Marketing and Communications Director for PBH. “Sponsors of this year’s conference will have the opportunity to meet one-on-one with consumer influencers who are fueling retail sales, curating foodservice menus en masse, and driving people to choose fruits and veggies first.”

This year’s PBH FVAA influencer network is made up of a unique group of culinary, agriculture, fitness, health, school foodservice, and lifestyle professionals—all passionate about promoting fruits and vegetables for happier, healthier lives. These ambassadors have significant digital and social reach and engagement on at least one social media platform, collectively reaching nearly 200,000 on Instagram alone. They are content creators who feature produce every day, as well as produce performers that are thought leaders in their own right.

The lineup for the 2020-2021 PBH Fruit and Vegetable Ambassadors in Action are as follows:

• Valerie Agyeman – Flourish Heights (Washington, DC)
• Joan Salge Blake – Dr. Joan Salge Blake - SpotOn! Podcast (Boston, MA)
• Leslie Bonci – Active Eating Advice (Pittsburgh, PA)
• Kristen Carli – Mostly Green (Scottsdale, AZ)
• Neva Cochran – Eating Beyond the Headlines (Dallas, TX)
• Beau Coffron – Lunchbox Dad (Edmund, OK)
• Stephen and Elise Compston – Straight Outta Compston’s Kitchen (Reno, NV)
• Andrew Dole – Body Fuel (Castle Rock, CO)
• Mandy Enright – Food + Movement (Jersey Shore, NJ)
• Abbie Gellman – Culinary Nutrition Cuisine (New York, NY)
• Cara Harbstreet – Street Smart Nutrition (Overland Park, KS)
• Dayle Hayes – School Meals that Rock (Bozeman, MT)
• Kelly Jones – Kelly Jones Nutrition (Philadelphia, PA)
• Kristina LaRue – Love and Zest (Winter Park, FL)
• Andrea Mathis – Beautiful Eats and Things (Pinson, AL)
• Megan McCarthy – Healthy Eating 101 (Atlanta, GA)
• Nicole Rodriguez – Enjoy Food Enjoy Life (New York, NY)
• Sarah Schlichter – Bucket List Tummy (Washington, DC)
• Kelli Shallal – Hungry Hobby (Phoenix, AZ)
• Lori Taylor – The Produce Moms® (Indianapolis, IN)
• Jonathan Valdez – Genki Nutrition (New York, NY)
• Manuel Villacorta – Manuel Villacorta (San Francisco, CA)
• Elisabeth Watkins – Farm Girl Chef (Reno, NV)
• Liz Weiss – Liz’s Healthy Table (Boston, MA)

In addition to the PBH FVAA, the following retail and foodservice companies are currently slated to be at the PBH Consumer Connection Conference as well:

Retailers:

• Albertson’s
• Big Y Foods
• Coborn’s
• H-E-B
• Schnuck’s Markets
• ShopRite/Inserra Supermarkets
• Sobey’s
• Kroger
• Wakefern Food Corp.

Foodservice/Culinary:

• Chris Martone, Foodservice & Culinary Consultant
• Culinary Institute of American (CIA) Healthy Kids Collaborative
• Compass Group
• PF Chang’s
• Shaping America’s Plate, Inc.
• Sysco
• University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Registration is now open for The Consumer Connection Conference. PBH supports recommendations issued by The World Health Organization stating travelers should practice usual precautions. At this time, the event is still scheduled to take place during the stated dates and times. PBH will continue to monitor the situation closely and provide updates as needed.

For more of the latest news in the lead up to this incredible event, keep reading ANUK.

Produce for Better Health Foundation