Washington, DC - United Fresh Produce Association announced that it will co-locate its 2008 FreshTech and Fresh Marketplace shows in Las Vegas, May 4-8.
“These two unique trade shows serve very different business needs for exhibitors and attendees that we will continue to foster. Each show will have its own designated exhibit floors to ensure strong attendee focus on the separate exhibits. But our Board also believes that offering the shows side by side over the same dates can increase the cost effectiveness of the events to our industry while adding increased value to all attendees,” said United Fresh Co-Chairmen Mark Miller, Fresh From Texas, and Maureen Marshall, Torrey Farms.
“The co-location of the two expositions also allows us to put together one overall convention program to serve attendees and exhibitors in both shows,” said United Fresh President Tom Stenzel. “We will offer one simple registration process that provides admission to all United Fresh 2008 convention activities, including both the FreshTech and Fresh Marketplace trade shows, educational conferences and workshops, and networking receptions and events,” he said.
As an added bonus for all attendees, the United FreshTech and Fresh Marketplace shows will be co-located with the FMI Show. All exhibitors and attendees will have complete access to all three shows. “We’ve found tremendous synergy with our Fresh Marketplace produce marketing and merchandising event co-located with FMI in Chicago,” Stenzel said. “FMI supermarket attendees looking for the very best and most innovative products in the produce industry will now also be able to see the tools, technologies and equipment needed to bring fresh and fresh-cut convenient produce through the total supply chain.”
“We’ve also found strong growth this year in the former IFPA Fresh-Cut Expo, as this event was enhanced in 2007 to become United FreshTech in Palm Springs. More attendees from throughout the industry are registered to attend this year’s show, and we believe co-locating these events in 2008 will add even greater value to our FreshTech exhibitors. It’s become clear that new developments in food safety, quality assurance, and technical systems are no longer just the purview of technical staff, but are really important business considerations that top management also needs to see on a trade show floor and discuss in educational conferences,” he said.
Bally’s Las Vegas will serve as the United Fresh Headquarters Hotel, and house all convention educational activities. All trade shows will be held at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, a short way down the famous Las Vegas Strip, and now accessible by monorail. The United Fresh 2008 convention will begin Sunday, May 4, with all trade shows opening Monday-Wednesday, May 5-7.
The association’s Board of Directors is considering future convention options for 2009 and beyond, but has not yet made a decision on a specific schedule of events.
