Seen and heard at SEPC Southern Exposure 2025 — Part 3

ORLANDO, Fla. — The Southeast Produce Council said "aloha Orlando" with a Hawaiian theme for its event held at the Orlando World Center Marriott.

The smaller North Carolina sweetpotato crop this year was a major topic of conversation for visitors to Nash Produce's booth. The hot dry weather during transplanting and then the rain that came after a hurricane and a tropical storm severely impacted the crop.

Robin Narron, sales support and marketing director for Nash Produce, said the company wants to encourage retailers to promote sweetpotatoes without promotions, due to the smaller crop.

“We're having conversations with our customers about the issues and shortages and we'll work with them to get to next season,” she said.

The profile of the potato is smaller, Narron said, and the crop is down 30% to 35%.

“We ship year round and work closely with our customers to fulfill all obligations and take care of their needs," she said.

The upcoming New Zealand kiwifruit season had the Zespri booth buzzing. Debbie Rogers, national account manager for Zespri, said the first arrivals of SunGold kiwifruit should be around late April or early May.

Zespir will showcase its Kiwi Brothers on packaging and displays, and it will also debut fully compostable labels on fruit this year.

“We're excited to get the season underway,” Rogers said.

To-Jo Mushrooms debuted new stuffed mushrooms in three varieties: ricotta, seasoned ricotta and spinach ricotta.

Johnny Kampes IV, national sales account manager with To-Jo Mushrooms, said the reception to the new products at the event was great, and retailers kept asking when the products would be available.

“We're looking [a matter of] weeks,” Kampes said of when the new stuff mushrooms will be available for retailers.

First-time Southern Exposure exhibitor Great Lakes Greenhouses had a great show, said Jeff Richardson, vice president of sales.

“It's been a great journey,” he said. “People want to be here. It has a family atmosphere. It's one thing to say it, but [SEPC members] live it.”

Richardson said a big topic for visitors to Great Lakes Greenhouses' booth is the availability of its organic bell peppers. Great Lakes Greenhouses grows the peppers on 25 acres, which the company decided to transition to meet demand.

“Our customers asked for more organic peppers,” he said. “We're fortunate that we grow a great bell pepper, and the demand exceeds our expectation.”

Sustainable packaging was the hot topic at IFCO Systems' booth. The company touted its improved sustainable packaging offerings for fresh produce, which boasts a reduction in damage, reduces waste, is a lower-cost and offers greater freshness, said Clara Alcantara, marketing coordinator for the Americas for IFCO Systems.

“A lot of our retailers are moving toward autonomy, and our RPCs are a great fit,” she said, noting the RPCs offer consistent sizing which is necessary for automation.

Darryl Bollack, regional sales manager for the Mariani Nut Co., showed off the company's new kettle cooked walnuts.

“With the current shift in healthy snacking, this is an opportunity to create a line of healthy snacking walnuts,” he said.

Bollack noted the new walnuts come in a clear standup pouch, so consumers can see exactly what they're buying.

“The goal is to create something in the snacking category,” he said. “We have three unique flavor profiles all with 6 grams or sugar or less.”

Bollack said initial feedback on the new kettle cooked walnuts has been great, noting Mariani offered samples at an event at a high-end retailer, and the retailer sold out of all flavors in its 15 stores.

Your next read:

• Seen and heard at SEPC Southern Exposure 2025 — Part 1
• Seen and heard at SEPC Southern Exposure 2025 — Part 2