With the return to a “new normal,” the restaurant and foodservice industry has once again set its collective focus on fresh and healthier menu options.
From large chain restaurant operators to a diversity of B&I foodservice professionals that buy for a diversity of categories from K-12 schools to healthcare, The Foodservice Conference from the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) has become an integral resource. This year’s event is set for July 27 and 28 in Monterey, CA.
“Our goal is to bring together the produce and foodservice industries to advance the use of fresh fruits, vegetables and flowers in the culinary arts,” noted Joe Watson, IFPA’s executive director. “Our mission is to help people connect so that we can grow the prosperity of our members. We offer professionals from all aspects of our industry across the US the opportunity to develop their careers. We have a focus on the up-and-coming leader in middle management that has their sights set on advancing in the industry. IFPA is also all about growing the industry with initiatives that include a diversity mandate to identify and create new opportunities for farmers of all backgrounds.”
“The Foodservice Conference is a can’t-miss for me because I learn about the latest trends, meet my existing suppliers as well as new ones, and sample some of the most innovative recipes at the expo,” said Robin Fisher of P.F. Chang’s. “Our patrons count on us for delicious items, including plant-forward dishes. We count on this conference to keep us on the cutting edge so we can differentiate our menu offerings.”
The conference connects suppliers with chefs, operators, distributors and a strong contingent of K-12 school foodservice professionals who are shaping students’ preferences and tastes for fresh produce that will make them avid consumers for life. This event boasts an unequaled 1:1 buyer-supplier ratio.
Among the highlights of this year’s opening day event is a slate of networking, committee meeting and field tour events. “We are once again looking forward to welcoming our Career Pathway students from college agriculture programs across the country,” Watson added. “Our convention gives them an opportunity to meet with retailers and processors as they build their career paths. The Pandemic really brought collaboration to a new level. I fielded a constant flow of calls of distributors in foodservice that were sitting on piles of produce and looking to move product for the first time into the retail/grocery industry.”
Watson’s background as a 30 plus year veteran in the supermarket industry served him well as he created these new connections for IFPA’s membership through the most trying of times.
IPFA also has a keen understanding of the impact that fresh produce can play in creating healthy lifestyles and battling childhood obesity for students across America. With that goal in mind, IFPA will host 100 plus K-12 foodservice professionals at this year’s event. “We’re often the largest ‘restaurant’ in town,” said Sandra Kemp, director of Food and Nutrition Services at the Albuquerque Public Schools in New Mexico. “It’s important to connect in person with our suppliers and to take advantage of the location to tour produce fields and see growing and processing operations first-hand. We have a responsibility to our students and the communities we serve, and offering fresh fruits and veggies is a very important part of what we do.”
To keep operators, distributors, and suppliers up to date, the conference offers a diverse education program, including sessions on: opportunities and challenges chefs see in today’s climate of inflation, supply and labor challenges, and the rise of plant-based and plant-forward menus; school and produce leaders working to increase students’ comfort level, interest, and consumption of fresh produce at school and beyond; the latest on sustainability market trends; and the foodservice industry’s efforts to advance inclusive procurement and supplier diversity to meet consumers’ increasingly values-based buying behaviors.
This year’s Foodservice Conference will once again feature an exciting exhibitor floor with 180 plus companies showcasing their latest products.
“We take a very different approach with every booth being a 10’ x 10’ space to level the playing field for businesses of all sizes,” Watson noted. The expo’s show floor also includes a number of tech companies that are vital in providing food usage and inventory management tools in a goal to maximize efficiency and eliminate food waste.
The highlight of the second day will be IFPA’s annual Chef’s Competition. “The passion among our nine chefs from different industry segments really captures what’s going on across the foodservice landscape,” Watson noted. Among the culinary trends to be discussed by IFPA’s chef’s symposium will be an eye on the growth of plant-based diets in foodservice. “Keep in mind that fresh produce was in fact the original plant-based diet. From entrees to sides and appetizers, fresh produce fills all those menu needs,” Watson added.
“When we come to this conference, we accomplish a lot in just a couple of days,” said Tom Brugato, President of Pacific Coast Fruit Co., a produce foodservice distributor based in Portland, OR. “Whether it’s inspiring speakers, networking with suppliers and peers or experiencing the taste-a-thon that is the expo, I always find take-home value that strengthens my passion for my work.”
“Our goal is to provide menu ideas, services and produce trends from the experts, including produce and service suppliers,” Watson concluded. “Every type of outlet and distributor is represented – including Sysco, Produce Alliance, US Foods, Darden, Shamrock Foods, Chicago Public Schools, Markon, Cheesecake Factory, Hello Fresh, and Chick-fil-A.”
