As decision-makers from across the fresh produce supply chain prepare to attend The Packer’s sixth annual Global Organic Produce Expo, it’s clear this industry based on relationships is eager to connect face to face.
“GOPEX is a unique show that really puts the emphasis on networking and the relationship-based nature of the produce industry,” Chris Miller, produce director for the Rockville, Md.-based MOM’s Organic Market told The Packer. “This format creates a lot of space for formal and informal connections and conversations with folks closely tied to the organic side of our industry.”
Slated for Jan. 30-Feb. 1 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla., this year, GOPEX is expanding beyond organics to embrace a more inclusive theme: Reaching the Conscious Consumer.
“With the theme of the event being ‘Reaching the Conscious Consumer,’ we expect to field many questions regarding our fair trade impact,” said Joanna Jaramillio, marketing manager for Wholesum Family Farms of Nogales, Ariz.
“Every year we are surprised and humbled by the support of our customers who choose to source ethically and support our farming communities by selecting Fair Trade Certified produce,” continued Jaramillio, adding that Wholesum Farms recently celebrated its 10-year anniversary of certification.
At this year’s event, Wholesum plans to highlight a few of its “high-flavor” tomato options, including the most recent addition to its lineup — organic heirloom tomatoes — fresh from its Arizona greenhouse.
Wholesum, which recently updated the look of its Valentino pack with consumer messaging to communicate usage occasions and flavor expectations, is also excited about unveiling the new packaging at GOPEX, Jaramillio added.
Ontario, Calif.-based Five Star Gourmet Foods is excited to introduce GOPEX attendees to its Simply Fresh Organic Salad Shakers, a new line the company believes is aligned with the conscious consumer.
“We fully understand that conscious consumers share many of the same values that are the pillars of our successful brand and are ingrained in our company culture,” said Tal Shoshan, founder and CEO of Five Star Gourmet Foods. “We also appreciate that they are willing to pay a premium for products and brands like Simply Fresh Organic, which deliver great tasting products that are socially responsible, locally sourced, ethically produced, support the local economy and improve the quality of life in our communities.
“FiveStar strives to provide accessibility to premium organic foods at an affordable price,” Shoshan continued. “Our new salad shaker line is a perfect example of our core values and why ‘conscious consumers’ are drawn to our products and brand.”
New products, new people
Paul Williams, director of produce for Earth Fare, a grocery retailer based in Asheville, N.C., with locations throughout the Southeast, says he’ll be on the lookout for new products and vendors at this year’s GOPEX.
American Dream Produce is one of the companies eager to talk new products with retailers at GOPEX.
“We have a grocery cart full of new items we are adding this upcoming year,” said William “Billie” Augustine of American Dream Produce. “We started this company in 2020 with just 20 acres grown and a couple items. This year we are looking at handling over 25 different items on over 1,200 acres.
“Some new items we are excited to be adding this year, all grown organically, are lettuce, celery, Brussels sprouts, mini sweet peppers, mini and seedless melons, and okra,” Augustine continued. “As far as innovations go, we are adding an additional 5 acres of organic high tunnel production to our current 15 acres in production. We are also adding a bagging machine for more value-added items and in talks of adding some compostable packaging to the mix as well.”
Williams said his motivation for attending GOPEX 2023 is the “ability to spend time with vendors I may not usually have the opportunity to.”
Lauren Siegle, senior marketing programs manager at Tive, is also looking to spend quality time with new friends and old.
“GOPEX is one of our favorite industry events because it brings together all the big players in the world of global organic produce,” Siegle said. “This year, we look forward to reconnecting with the wonderful people we met last year, and we also want to reach out to shippers and manufacturers who may be able to benefit from Tive’s industry-leading supply chain visibility solutions.
“As a founding member of the Open Visibility Network, we are always looking for new companies to join the OVN and expand our quest to provide real-time insights from the industry’s top transportation visibility providers,” Siegle continued.
BizMatch
Once again, GOPEX will offer the BizMatch meeting scheduler throughout the event to pair organics suppliers with qualified retail and wholesale buyers.
“I am looking forward to catching up with long-time industry friends and meeting new ones,” said Miller of MOM’s Organic Market. “I also really enjoy the BizMatch format to meet with and learn from folks I may not have otherwise connected with.”
Biz Match is also a highlight for Mike Marboe, national account manager for Starr Ranch Growers of Wenatchee, Wash.
“I am looking forward to the BizMatch part of this conference,” Marboe said. “This is always an excellent opportunity to connect with existing customers or expand the network with new customers we have not previously worked with. Regardless of the draw, the BizMatch portion of the Packer shows always are a highlight and brings value to us as a supplier.”
Controlled environment ag
Indoor agriculture will be a hot topic at GOPEX as well as the subject of a panel discussion on Jan. 31 titled, “The Convergence of Indoor and Organics.”
“We’re excited to be part of the conversation regarding CEA in the organic space,” Jaramillio said. Wholesum’s Arizona farm General Manager Jose Covarrubias will be a panelist for the session.
“He brings passion and expertise on this topic as it pertains to organic tomato production from high-tech ag to organic production, sustainability, food safety and agricultural labor,” Jaramillio said of Covarrubias.
Dan Branson, senior director of business and product development at Mucci Farms, Ontario, Canada, is also ready to dig into conversations around CEA at this year’s GOPEX.
“Given the recent impact of inclement weather on the supply chain, this year at GOPEX we expect to have lots of discussions about Controlled Environment Agriculture versus traditional farming methods,” he said. “We expect those conversations to revolve around how we can best service demand through a variety of ebbs and flows related to production, inflation and innovation.”
Crop updates
For Marboe of Starr Ranch, GOPEX will provide an opportunity to share an organic apple and pear update with retailers.
“We are excited to reconnect with retailers in the new year and plot a course forward for the rest of the growing season,” Marboe said. “Washington, as many know, has a bit of a down crop, but there are still ample opportunities to promote and push organic apples and pears during the rest of the domestic season. Southern Hemisphere partners are also reporting a good crop, so we will be talking about import opportunities with all to help supplement the short crop that Washington will finish in the spring.”
Starr Ranch plans to showcase its recyclable pouch bags and corrugated packaging, both of which represent the company’s newest innovations in its efforts to move the needle on sustainability, Marboe said.