PLEASANTON, Calif. — About a thousand attendees flooded the aisles at the Fresh Produce and Floral Council’s Northern California Expo on March 29.
The event, which features close to 200 exhibitors in 158 10-foot x 10-foot booth spaces, is an opportunity not only to engage buyers and sellers, but also for in-store personnel.
“What makes this show unique is that you have everyone from VPs to senior category managers down to produce and floral department employees,” said Carissa Mace, FPFC president.
Greg Corrigan, director of produce for West Sacramento-based Raley’s Family of Fine Stores is a big supporter of the event.
“It’s always good to get our divisional supervisors and even store level people to take a look at new things that are coming, and give feedback to our buying team on what they think will be successful in our stores,” he said.
Mace said that’s an opportunity for exhibitors as well.
Marvin Quebec, president and CEO of Oakland-based Quebec Distributing, and immediate past FPFC chairman, said the right people were at the show.
“A lot of (exhibitors) were telling me when I asked ‘were you able to see the key people that you needed to see?’” he said. “It was a resounding ‘yes.’”
FPFC’s next event is a May 3 Southern California Luncheon, where United Fresh Produce Association president and CEO Tom Stenzel is scheduled to speak.