MONTEREY, CA - We’re heading into the middle of May, and the next event coming up on my calendar is Organic Produce Summit (OPS) 2022. To discuss the future of grocery retail and its impact on fresh produce, OPS tapped Walter Robb, Karen Christensen, and Madhavi Reese to divulge their Whole Foods Market expertise and insights during the upcoming session “The Future of Grocery Retailing.”

“The world of grocery retail has evolved significantly over the past two-plus years, as consumer demand for a seamless shopping experience continues to create opportunities for retailers to grow their business. To have leadership from Whole Foods—consistently recognized as one of the nation’s most reputable and progressive retailers—share their thoughts on the future of our industry is something OPS attendees will not want to miss,” said Susan Canales, President of Organic Produce Summit.

According to the release, the session will be moderated by Robb, Principal of Stonewall Robb Advisors, Senior Executive Partner at S2G Ventures, and former Co-Chief Executive Officer of Whole Foods. Whole Foods’ Christensen, Senior Vice President of Merchandising for Perishables, and Madhavi Reese, Vice President of Marketing, will be joining in for a candid commentary on supply chain issues, the role of technology and e-commerce, consumer shopping behavior, new formats, and innovations in grocery retailing.

These leaders have been recognized by the industry for their life-long devotion to healthy food and promoting it to consumers across the country, noted the release. Robb has a long and varied entrepreneurial history, ranging from natural food retailer to farmer to consultant. Christensen is a true food visionary who previously served as Regional Vice President of the Whole Foods Northern California region. Reese spent 18 years working on the agency side before joining Whole Foods as Vice President of Brand Strategy in 2017.

OPS 2022 is a two-day event specifically designed to bring together organic fresh produce growers, shippers, and processors with retail and buying organizations from across North America. “The Future of Grocery Retailing” is the third keynote announcement, joining other sessions headlined by John Ruane, Senior Vice President and Chief Omnichannel Merchandising Officer for The GIANT Company, and David Katz, Founder of Plastic Bank.

In addition to the keynote presentations, a series of engaging and relevant ed sessions round out the OPS 2022 educational program. The release outlined that the educational sessions will explore the following: CEA, regenerative agriculture, branded vs. private label organic offerings, sustainability across the supply chain, organic sales data, and the impact of inflation on consumer behavior. 

There willl also be a selection of field tours for qualified retailers and buyers, a gala opening night reception, and a sold-out trade show floor featuring over 150 producers and processors of organic fresh produce from across North America and the globe.

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Organic Produce Summit