The wait is over. The Produce Marketing Association and United Fresh Produce Association unveiled their merged identity during a news conference Oct. 28: The International Fresh Produce Association.
PMA and United plan to continue operating through the end of 2021, with the new association taking over January 1, with Cathy Burns and Tom Stenzel as co-CEOs. Stenzel previously announced plans to retire at the end of 2022.
The new association is rooted in Seven Strategies:
Serve all sectors of the global fresh produce and floral supply chains, growing our global membership and participation.
Providing expertise and business solutions in food safety, new technology, supply chain management, sustainability, leadership and talent development, business operations, marketing and more.
Conduct government advocacy and leadership to build and maintain a positive business climate in the United States and the North American market.
Bringing all sectors of our diverse supply chain together to better understand our interconnections and support efficiency and profitability throughout the chain.
Engage with global bodies and allied organizations to promote free and fair trade, international harmonization of standards, and worldwide growth in consumption.
Enhance business-to-business sales and marketing connections across the produce and floral supply chains.
Demand creation to inspire consumers to embrace produce and floral products as essential parts of their lives, while increasing profitable sales of members’ products.
IFPA had a few announcements right out of the gate, including a new foundation to succeed the United Fresh Start Foundation and Center for Growing Talent by PMA, The Foundation for Fresh Produce.
The association also released its first calendar of events, heavy on international events, though leaders said regional and niche events are expected to be added throughout the year. Notable changes include just one large expo, The Global Produce and Floral Show, replacing PMA’s Fresh Summit.
Date
Location
Event
January 18 -19
San Francisco, CA
Executive Leadership Summit
8-Feb
Berlin, Germany
Executive Leadership Summit
March
Washington, DC Washington
Spring Fly-In
March 27 -April 1
Ithaca, NY
Executive Leadership Development Program at Cornell University
29-Mar
Anaheim, CA
The Floral Conference
April 10 – 12
Santa Ana Pueblo, NM
Women’s Fresh Perspectives Conference
May 16 – 18
San Diego, CA
The BrandStorm Conference
May 17 – 19
Guadalajara, Mexico
The Mexico Conference
24-May
Miami, FL
The Floral Conference
June 6 – 8
Brisbane, AU
Hort Connections
July 28 – 29
Monterey, CA
The Foodservice Conference
August 17 – 18
Cape Town, South Africa
The Southern Africa Conference
31-Aug
Sao Paulo, Brazil
The Brazil Conference
September 26 – 28
Washington, DC
The Washington Conference
October 27 – 29
Orlando, FL
The Global Produce and Floral Show
IFPA also is led by the following volunteer leaders:
Executive Committee
Chair: Bruce Taylor, CEO, Taylor Farms
Chair-Elect Laura Himes, DMM Produce, Walmart
Secretary Treasurer Patrick Vizzone, head of food, beverage and agribusiness, ANZ Banking
Past Chair(s): Danny Dumas, president of Courchesne Larose USA Inc. and Dwight Ferguson, president and CEO, California Agricultural Leadership Foundation
Foundation Chair: Martha Hilton, vice president produce and floral merchandising, Wegman’s
Directors Representing Market Segments
Grower-Shipper: Jeff Huckaby, CEO, Grimmway Enterprises Inc.
Foodservice: Melissa Ackerman, president and operations director, Produce Alliance
Fresh-Cut Processor: Raina Nelson, president U.S., Westfalia Fruit Marketing USA LLC
Wholesaler-Distributor: Tom Brugato, president, Pacific Coast Fruit Co.
Retail: Pending
Directors representing Industry Expertise
Finance & Business Management: Michael Castagnetto, president, Robinson Fresh
Food Safety: Cheryl Enlow, vice president of QA and food safety, Renaissance Food Group
Supply Chain Logistics: Drew Zabrocki, general manager, value chain insights and interoperability, Semios
Marketing & Merchandising: Abby Prior, senior vice president of sales and marketing, Bright Farms
Sustainability: Nikki Cossio, founder and CEO, Measure to Improve LLC.
Technology: James Rogers, CEO, Apeel Sciences
U.S. Government Relations Director: Brian Kocher, president and CEO, Castellini Cos.
Directors Representing Global Markets:
Australia-New Zealand: Katie De Villers, head of sales, One Harvest
The wait is over. The Produce Marketing Association and United Fresh Produce Association unveiled their merged identity during a news conference Oct. 28: The International Fresh Produce Association.
PMA and United plan to continue operating through the end of 2021, with the new association taking over January 1, with Cathy Burns and Tom Stenzel as co-CEOs. Stenzel previously announced plans to retire at the end of 2022.
The new association is rooted in Seven Strategies:
Serve all sectors of the global fresh produce and floral supply chains, growing our global membership and participation.
Providing expertise and business solutions in food safety, new technology, supply chain management, sustainability, leadership and talent development, business operations, marketing and more.
Conduct government advocacy and leadership to build and maintain a positive business climate in the United States and the North American market.
Bringing all sectors of our diverse supply chain together to better understand our interconnections and support efficiency and profitability throughout the chain.
Engage with global bodies and allied organizations to promote free and fair trade, international harmonization of standards, and worldwide growth in consumption.
Enhance business-to-business sales and marketing connections across the produce and floral supply chains.
Demand creation to inspire consumers to embrace produce and floral products as essential parts of their lives, while increasing profitable sales of members’ products.
IFPA had a few announcements right out of the gate, including a new foundation to succeed the United Fresh Start Foundation and Center for Growing Talent by PMA, The Foundation for Fresh Produce.
The association also released its first calendar of events, heavy on international events, though leaders said regional and niche events are expected to be added throughout the year. Notable changes include just one large expo, The Global Produce and Floral Show, replacing PMA’s Fresh Summit.
Date
Location
Event
January 18 -19
San Francisco, CA
Executive Leadership Summit
8-Feb
Berlin, Germany
Executive Leadership Summit
March
Washington, DC Washington
Spring Fly-In
March 27 -April 1
Ithaca, NY
Executive Leadership Development Program at Cornell University
29-Mar
Anaheim, CA
The Floral Conference
April 10 – 12
Santa Ana Pueblo, NM
Women’s Fresh Perspectives Conference
May 16 – 18
San Diego, CA
The BrandStorm Conference
May 17 – 19
Guadalajara, Mexico
The Mexico Conference
24-May
Miami, FL
The Floral Conference
June 6 – 8
Brisbane, AU
Hort Connections
July 28 – 29
Monterey, CA
The Foodservice Conference
August 17 – 18
Cape Town, South Africa
The Southern Africa Conference
31-Aug
Sao Paulo, Brazil
The Brazil Conference
September 26 – 28
Washington, DC
The Washington Conference
October 27 – 29
Orlando, FL
The Global Produce and Floral Show
IFPA also is led by the following volunteer leaders:
Executive Committee
Chair: Bruce Taylor, CEO, Taylor Farms
Chair-Elect Laura Himes, DMM Produce, Walmart
Secretary Treasurer Patrick Vizzone, head of food, beverage and agribusiness, ANZ Banking
Past Chair(s): Danny Dumas, president of Courchesne Larose USA Inc. and Dwight Ferguson, president and CEO, California Agricultural Leadership Foundation
Foundation Chair: Martha Hilton, vice president produce and floral merchandising, Wegman’s
Directors Representing Market Segments
Grower-Shipper: Jeff Huckaby, CEO, Grimmway Enterprises Inc.
Foodservice: Melissa Ackerman, president and operations director, Produce Alliance
Fresh-Cut Processor: Raina Nelson, president U.S., Westfalia Fruit Marketing USA LLC
Wholesaler-Distributor: Tom Brugato, president, Pacific Coast Fruit Co.
Retail: Pending
Directors representing Industry Expertise
Finance & Business Management: Michael Castagnetto, president, Robinson Fresh
Food Safety: Cheryl Enlow, vice president of QA and food safety, Renaissance Food Group
Supply Chain Logistics: Drew Zabrocki, general manager, value chain insights and interoperability, Semios
Marketing & Merchandising: Abby Prior, senior vice president of sales and marketing, Bright Farms
Sustainability: Nikki Cossio, founder and CEO, Measure to Improve LLC.
Technology: James Rogers, CEO, Apeel Sciences
U.S. Government Relations Director: Brian Kocher, president and CEO, Castellini Cos.
Directors Representing Global Markets:
Australia-New Zealand: Katie De Villers, head of sales, One Harvest
