OTTAWA, ON, CANADA - Vancouver held a special place for fresh produce hearts last week, as the 2024 Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) Annual Convention and Trade Show wrapped with palpable excitement and over 4,000 participants in attendance. As Melissa De Leon Chavez reported, with a strong international showing and a deep local pride, it was an incredible gathering of fresh prowess.

“CPMA’s Annual Convention and Trade Show is the premier event for the fresh fruits and vegetable industry in Canada,” Ron Lemaire, CPMA President, stated. “The event offers unique opportunities for companies in our sector to make valuable connections. Each year, the event continues to grow, attracting a big turnout of participants from across the globe. This year’s edition was another success as the attendance exceeded the size of all past shows in Vancouver.”

As the final numbers were tallied, it became evident the coveted event continues to be a success as it evolves its impact in the fruit and vegetable space.

According to CPMA, 630 exhibit booths representing over 300 companies accounted for 63,800 square feet of booth space on the trade show floor.

Within this large swath of produce were 148 international exhibitors from 12 countries, 161 Canadian exhibitors, and 78 exhibitors who were new CPMA members.

To top it off, the leftover produce filled five trucks and was donated to the Greater Vancouver Food Bank. Further building on these statistics, the 2024 New Product Showcase included 60 products from 36 different companies.

For more on the 2024 event, please check out Melissa’s highlights for award winners, standout moments, and more. And a huge cheers to CPMA and all the parties involved that made the show a success!