From Oct. 14-16, the AFS Produce leadership team joined thousands of fresh produce and floral professionals at the Global Produce & Floral Show in Orlando, Florida. The event is hosted by the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA), which describes itself as the largest international association serving the entire fresh produce and floral supply chain. IFPA works on behalf of the industry through advocacy, connecting people and ideas, and guidance for members. This year's show drew attendees from almost 70 countries and more than 1,000 exhibiting companies.
For AFS, the show is a working trip. "The Global Produce and Floral show is a great opportunity for our produce leadership team to see new trends, meet with suppliers, and grow the image of AFS in the industry," said Leigh Vaughn, director of produce and floral. "This event always helps the team prepare for the next year and better meet the needs of our retail partners."
The show opened with IFPA's annual State of the Industry address from IFPA CEO Cathy Burns. She called on the industry to meet a period of disruption with deeper collaboration. She named consumer trust as a major concern, noting that 6.5 million U.S. households stopped buying salad mixes and kits in July.
Leigh noted her main point was that the industry needs to take control of its own story. "Our industry professionals, from the C-suite to the tile, need to take control of our own narrative and put fresh produce back at the forefront of our shoppers' minds," he said. A renewed focus on food safety, Leigh added, will be key.
Leigh said one of the biggest challenges is still securing product at reasonable rates. Cathy Burns raised related concerns about affordability, noting that nearly a quarter of U.S. shoppers buy fewer fresh fruits and vegetables, or skip them, when prices go above what they're willing to pay. "The fuel market continues to put inordinate pressure on the cost of goods," Leigh said. "This trickles to retail pricing and can affect margin and shrink."
Deals, discoveries and what's ahead
The team's priority in Orlando was building supplier relationships. "One of the team's main focal points was to solidify relationships and, in some instances, ink new deals for the coming year," Leigh said. The team also spent a few hours in the floral section looking for the newest and most popular items.
Retailers can expect some new products soon. Leigh said the show brought "some fun, new items and line extensions," which will be announced and available to order through the Produce Jumpstart or Produce Plus retail communiqués when they're ready for distribution.
Looking ahead, Leigh said, "We will continue to expand our organic offerings in the ad, and we will also look at other ethnic lines of product."
Conferences like this one are part of how AFS keeps its produce program strong. The conversations in Orlando, with suppliers, with industry peers and on the show floor, are the same ones that help the team secure quality product when supply is tight. That paid off this summer, when AFS Produce posted a record week of more than $7 million in sales in what Leigh called the most challenging supply market since COVID. During that one week, AFS sold 56 full truckloads of watermelon.
"One of the biggest reasons we were successful is that our procurement team was able to secure product," Leigh said at the time. He credited supplier partnerships, store teams and the distribution center for the result. "This was truly a One AFS effort. It's the result of great programs, great promotions and great people."
The work that begins at shows like this continues year-round. "We're working to diversify as much as possible so we're ready for any challenge the market throws at us," Leigh said. From new items and organic expansion to supplier relationships and the team's dedication, AFS Produce is focused on bringing member retailers and their customers the absolute best fresh produce and floral products available.
