Newark, Del. – Produce Marketing Association has shared their latest update on the virtual Fresh Summit schedule. The event, live from October 13-15, will also extend until November 13 and include advance access to a variety of audiences and ongoing meetings with buyers as well.  Registration is live for the event now and those looking to attend can register on the website.

“Fresh Summit has always been the global forum for our industry each October,” said PMA CEO Cathy Burns.  “This year will be no different as leaders from across the worldwide produce and floral communities will make new business connections and discover emerging trends and opportunities to grow a healthier world. In partnership with our incredible Fresh Summit Committee and using our members’ needs as our foundation, Fresh Summit 2020 will focus on Content, Connections, and Community.”

Here are some highlights from the event’s quickly filling schedule:

Content:

Speakers for three of the general sessions have been announced. PMA’s Cathy Burns will deliver her much anticipated State of the Industry on October 13, 2020. The fast-paced presentation will share trends, reflect on our community’s pandemic response, and pinpoint areas where fresh produce and floral have room to grow The Joy of Fresh™ with consumers.

The second day will feature two inspirational leaders whose innovations are growing a healthier world.  Doc Hendley, Founder and President of Wine to Water, will speak about his movement to bring clean drinking water to communities in need across the globe. Keller Rinaudo, CEO of Zipline International, will speak about his use of drones to deliver blood shipments eliminating waste and empowering local communities.  In a time when the world is faced with shared, complex and interconnected challenges, these two speakers will share insights about how focused innovations can make major impacts on growing a healthier world.

The third day will bring Sally Dominguez, Inventor, Entrepreneur, Futurist and Faculty of Singularity University to the virtual stage.  Dominguez will speak to developing the 10X mindset to navigate the exponential change that is currently facing us all personally and professionally. Her Parkour tool will help to activate attendees 10X mindset to prompt the unexpected connections that generate consistent innovation.

The schedule will also include concurrent sessions on Tuesday, October 13 and Wednesday, October 14 providing more opportunities to hear from industry experts around a variety of relevant topics including Marketing the Benefits of Fresh Floral and Produce, Creativity in Color for Floral to Drive Consumer Engagement, Around the World in Fresh Produce: An Update on International Challenges and Opportunities.   The full schedule is being updated with new experiences and experts all the time.

Connections:

With Fresh Summit going virtual, there will be no ribbon cutting at the doors of the expo floor. However, the Fresh Summit Marketplace will be open to all for the entirety of the virtual event and in advance for an exclusive preview just for buyers. The Marketplace will be segmented into four groups: Produce, Complementary Items, Floral, and Solutions. Attendees will be able to search by company, products, and more online and through the Fresh Summit app. PMA has worked to optimize the schedule to help ensure attendees can take full advantage of their time.  Buyers are invited to preview the Produce, Floral and Complementary Marketplaces from September 28- October 1 and the Solutions Marketplace will be available for buyers to preview on October 2- October 6. The Buyer Previews offer a time before the event to view products within the marketplace, attend exhibitor pitch sessions and schedule meetings to take place during the virtual event schedule.

“Fresh Summit has always been an investment, and many companies have had to be selective with who could attend based on travel and hotel costs,” said Joe Watson, PMA vice president of member engagement. “Going virtual means buyers can send their team in greater numbers which means more meetings and more connections.”

Already, companies are increasing the size of their Fresh Summit teams including Loblaws, Inc., Sam’s Club, Publix, The Kroger Co., Food Lion, LLC, Albertsons Companies, Hannaford Bros. Co. and Wholesaler Grocer Groups who will all be highly represented at the event.

Community:

Fresh Summit has often been seen as the Family Reunion of the produce and floral industries.  For each day, there will be receptions to bring together the industry.  The first day will feature Community Receptions for an opportunity to connect with and celebrate communities across the industry. Day two will host a Networking Reception focused on reconnecting and meeting new people and on the final day, October 15, there will be a Closing Reception to wrap up 2020 Fresh Summit Brazilian style.

The schedule is time-zone friendly, with access to the Marketplace and on-demand sessions available all day.  Additionally, unlike years passed, Fresh Summit is not over after the closing reception.  All registered guests can continue to benefit from Fresh Summit through November 13.  This includes access to the Marketplace, exploring and discovering more products and services and revisiting on-demand content.

PMA will continue to share updates and details to the Fresh Summit experience. Those interested in attending can register on the Fresh Summit website. Attendees will be granted access to the Fresh Summit platform beginning October 7, 2020 to explore the Marketplace, set up meetings and plan out their personal schedules.