Exposition, New Produce Safety Summit & Global FreshTech Conference Draw International Attendance to FreshTech
The United FreshTech expo and conference opened with the all-new Produce Safety Summit, a special two-day conference dedicated to produce safety. Attendees heard from FDA Commissioner Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach and a series of retail and foodservice speakers from around the globe who shared their perspectives on food safety and how it is affecting their businesses. David Barney, business development manager at Bakkavorin in the United Kingdom; Paul Cruikshank, branded commodity management manager at C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc.; Charles Sweat, president of Natural Selection Foods/Earthbound Farm and Dr. Bob Whitaker, vice president processing and technology at NewStar Fresh Foods, LLC, represented various business segments throughout the produce supply chain, but all agreed that the focus on food safety will continue to be a top priority for the industry.

On Thursday morning, while more than 100 attendees helped raise funds for the United Fresh Research & Education Foundation by competing in the Amcor/United Fresh Golf Tournament, hundreds more attended the Produce Safety Summit Research and Insights Forum. This special forum included presentations on new consumer behavior research and scientific and technical advances in food safety.

The produce safety discussion was rounded out with a look at customers at all levels. Frank Padilla, assistant vice president, GMM fresh foods at Costco Wholesale; Gale Prince, director, corporate regulatory affairs, The Kroger Company; Mitch Smith, director, quality systems at McDonald’s Corporation and Ed Thompson, vice president, quality assurance at Avendra, LLC each outlined their respective company food safety philosophy, and all agreed that everyone along the supply change must work together to advance our collective knowledge and harmonize protocols.

The Global FreshTech Conference began with Director of Food Industry Management at Cornell University Ed McLaughlin’s insightful presentation on new retail positioning. Afterwards Steve Lutz, executive vice president of Perishables Group, led a consumer panel discussion that included first-hand consumer comments about fresh produce packaging, produce safety, the importance of brand names and more. The Conference continued with first-class workshops and speakers on commodity-specific food safety practices, best agricultural practices, policy issues affecting the produce industry, operational efficiencies and more. For presenters' handouts, click here.

Nearly 2,000 attendees from more than twenty countries visited the FreshTech exhibit hall, where nearly 200 exhibitors displayed products, services and technologies targeting the value-added produce industry. Operations managers, quality assurance directors, processors, shippers, growers and other attendees met with equipment and packaging manufactures, food safety technicians, transportation providers, refrigeration specialists, and more.

FreshTech 2008 will be co-located with Fresh Marketplace show and the FMI show in Las Vegas, Nevada May 4-7.  For more information about the 2008 United Fresh shows, click here.