Fresh Produce & Floral Council Details August Membership Luncheon; Kelly Craner Comments
LOS ANGELES, CA - Last week, members of the Fresh Produce & Floral Council (FPFC) gathered in Southern California for the August Membership Luncheon, which is put on in partnership with City of Hope. Overall, FPFC members donated more than $140,000 to the Los Angeles-based nonprofit. The morning before the luncheon, the 2022 FPFC Apprentices held a foodservice panel with Marty Craner of B&C Fresh Sales
“A panel of industry veterans, generational brands, and forward-thinking minds led an in-depth discussion on the foodservice sector, its uniqueness, and how it's progressing forward in the aftermath of the pandemic,”Kelly Craner, FPFC Apprentice Taskforce Member and Sales/Marketing with B&C Fresh Sales, stated. “The Apprentices heard firsthand how success in this industry requires one to be a problem solver, regardless of position or title; meeting the needs of your customers might not always meet the needs of your bottom line. Nate Bertke (Norms), Mike O'Leary (Boskovich), Roshan Mendis (Lazy Dog), and Dan Floyd (Veg-Fresh), led by moderator Marty Craner, dug into the differences between foodservice and retail, highlighting that many food trends are the result of strategic and collaborative relationships in ideation and innovation.”
FPFC and its members have a long history of supporting the City of Hope, according to a statement from the organization. The Luncheon kicked off with Mario Bryant of Stater Bros. Markets singing the National Anthem. Later, during the Master of Ceremonies, Dennis McIntyre of Stater Bros. welcomed attendees and spoke of the progress City of Hope is making at its new Orange County facility.
During the event, Gina Lozano, Office Assistant at Veg-Fresh Farms, shared her courageous story about the challenges of her journey battling cancer. Dr. Charles Brenner of City of Hope also took the stage to speak about how our metabolism is a life force, and how metabolic stress can affect our health in the present and future.
Apprentice Program sponsors included Grimmway Farms/Cal-Oganic and Dennis Gertmenian, Founder and Retired Chief Executive Officer of Ready Pac Foods.
Hats off to the industry members who made this impressive donation possible!
