WENATCHEE, WA - Next week marks a significant step in our industry’s face-to-face history. That is to say, we will be coming together without being face-to-face. I speak, of course, to the United Fresh LIVE! digital trade show, taking place June 15–19. Among those participating in the pioneer move is Stemilt Growers.

“I’m glad United took this leap—it’s been a lot of work for them to pull this off and we are excited to join in and be a part of that,” Brianna Shales, Senior Marketing Manager, shared with me. “It was a big challenge for our team to try to reimagine a trade show without being there in person. But United provided a few examples of what we could choose from, and we were able to approach our own design work using its template.”

Going by the detailed schedule the team recently released, no one would know there was a moment’s hesitation in the plan. This, Brianna says, is in great thanks to both Lead Designer Landon Michaelson—who designed the entire booth from the ground up, so-to-speak—and Marketing Communications Coordinator Katie Harmon, who planned out the comprehensive itinerary and everyone’s ability to “man the booth.”

“Landon Michaelson and Katie Harmon deserve a big shout out for reinventing our tradeshow booth and planning our debut virtual format,” Brianna told me. “We decided to go with what is tried and true about our brand, including our family ownership, our premium farming practices, and what retailers can expect for our summer and fall programs.”

A big highlight for both the team and anyone who hasn’t made a recent trip to Wenatchee, Washington, will be the opportunity to virtually tour Stemilt’s operations and “meet” founding family members West Mathison, President, Kyle Mathison, fourth generation cherry grower, and Tate Mathison, Sales Director.

“The line-up of events planned for United Fresh LIVE! is impressive and shows just how adaptable our industry is! Stemilt is looking forward to bringing our farms to life virtually, while also showcasing the brands that help differentiate our World Famous Fruit. We look forward to seeing you all online,” West commented in the lead-up to the big event.

And, of course, a big advantage to this trade show alternative is the experience it brings to a broader range of produce professionals by offering free registration.

“This is a great opportunity to broaden the horizons of those who might not normally get to attend a show, and we opened it up to the whole Stemilt team,” Brianna said excitedly. “If they have time in the day, we’ve encouraged everyone to go ‘attend’ an education session and tune in to the schedule.”

With so much potential, I think we are all on the edge of our seats to log in to what could be a new frontier for fresh produce connection. If you have not yet, click here to register and share, and we will see you on the interwebs!

Stemilt Growers