After two years of absence due to the Covid pandemic, The Mexico Conference, the only event held in Mexico dedicated to the entire supply chain of the fresh produce industry, is back in person and will be held in Guadalajara, Mexico, June 22-23.
This is the first conference to be held in Mexico by the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) since the organization began operations last January due to the merger between the United Fresh Produce and Produce Marketing Association, the two most influential organizations in the U.S. produce industry.
The Mexico Conference will be held at the Hard Rock Hotel in Guadalajara. Growers, distributors and exporters, technology, packaging and transportation suppliers, importers, and supermarket representatives will have the opportunity to do business and learn about the latest advances in the fresh produce supply chain.
To participate in The Mexico Conference, please register on the website www.freshproduce.com/events/the-Mexico-conference/
According to Natalia Gamarra, IFPA’s director of international member relations, this year’s event is expected to be well attended by importers from the United States and logistics, consultants, and buyers from supermarket chains, among others.
“If you want to promote your product or service in the produce industry, The Mexico Conference is the ideal place to connect with key people in the industry to do business,” said Gamarra.
According to a recent report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service, Mexico accounts for 77% of U.S. fresh produce import volume, and Canada accounts for 11%.
Over the past two decades, the report noted that the volume of fresh vegetables imported by the United States, primarily from Mexico and Canada, increased by nearly 200 percent.
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Although conference sessions begin on Wednesday, June 22, Gamarra noted that on Tuesday, June 21, the International Fresh Produce Association will be hosting a special reception at 7:30 pm for sponsors, IFPA members, and special guests from the retail sector, among others.
During the two-day Mexico Conference, several lectures on food safety, sustainability, packaging, and product transportation will be given by industry experts each day.
The convention’s keynote speaker will be Karla Wheelock, a Mexican mountaineer, writer, lecturer, and entrepreneur. She will be speaking on motivation and women’s empowerment, sharing her own achievements and adventures climbing the highest peaks of the seven continents.