For the 43rd year, the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) brought together one of the most diverse crowds of professionals at the Foodservice Conference in Monterey, California.
The yearly event brought together over 2,220 attendees, including produce suppliers, menu innovators, K-12 professionals, and more.
With almost 1,000 buyers and menu influencers in attendance, IFPA said that the Foodservice Conference is clearly the perfect place to work on getting more produce on the plate in restaurants, schools, hotels, hospitals, stadiums, and everywhere else food is served.
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“It was an incredible two days for this year’s Foodservice Conference,” said IFPA CEO Cathy Burns. The resilience and creativity of the restaurant sector and those who supply it were on full display. The program featured valuable insights on how to grow fresh produce consumption throughout foodservice channels and identified more opportunities for women to shape the future of foodservice. We also celebrated the chefs and K-12 professionals who consistently develop creative options for fruits and vegetables in schools and restaurants.”
The K-12 Foodservice Forum attracted over 100 school menu planners and chefs for the event, as well as the newly appointed deputy undersecretary for food and nutrition service at the USDA, Cindy Long.
Long, who spoke with the forum participants on Friday morning, explained the importance of the work of these professionals who serve tens of thousands of meals to children every day, making them the “largest restaurant in any town.”
After a day and a half of education sessions focusing on leveraging data to transform your business, maximizing menus, and celebrating chefs and women in the industry, the Expo opened on Friday.
The Foodservice Expo is described as the best 5 and ½ hours in produce for foodservice, with an almost 1:1 buyer-to-supplier ratio.
The show featured new flavors and menu ideas that attendees could taste in person and the largest-ever Fresh Ideas Showcase with 32 entries. These products featured product innovations, new flavors, and more.
“The Expo year-after-year is the showcase for innovation and inspired fresh produce products that meet the ever-changing culinary needs of restaurants and evolving consumer demands,” said Burns. “A heartfelt thank you to our guests, exhibitors, sponsors, our volunteer leaders on the Foodservice Council, the K-12 and chef communities, and IFPA staff for continuing to raise the bar on this Foodservice Conference every time we meet in Monterey.”
IFPA recognized this kind of innovation with the annual Foodservice Conference Expo Awards, which included:
- Best of Show Winner, J. Marchini Farms, Joe’s Premium.
- Best of Show Runner Up, Avocados From Mexico.
- Best Product Promo winner, Wild About Sprouts, for their Alfalfa Broccoli and Kale Sprout Line.
- Chef’s Choice Winner, Mission Produce, for their Mango Panna Cotta.