SAN ANTONIO, Texas—Viva Fresh heralded a strong attendance, both from buyers and attendees, but the greatest compliment of the fourth annual event?
The expo floor was still packed, even after the show floor’s hours were over on April 7.
“It was amazing,” said Ed Bertaud, director of retail sales for IFCO RPC North America. “People were still making deals and talking business well after closing time.”
Dante Galeazzi, president and CEO of the Mission-based Texas International Produce Association, the host of the event, said more than 330 retail and foodservice buyers from 98 companies attended Viva Fresh, held April 5-7 at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort.
“That’s an increase of 190% in buyer attendees from our 2015 show,” he said. “We feel like that’s a great place to be in just the fourth year of the Viva Fresh Produce Expo.”
Future efforts, Galeazzi said, will focus on increasing diversity of buyer companies, and maintaining the show’s regional focus. Efforts to broaden the show’s buyer audience reach already were noticeable.
Michael Schutt, produce merchant for West Sacramento, Calif.-based Raley’s Family of Fine Stores was in attendance. He said he thought Viva Fresh did an excellent job keeping the show focused.
“It was in tune regionally,” Schutt said. “They kept it intimate in scale, which provided for authentic dialogue and exchange on the expo floor.”
The show’s energy also was a highlight, Galeazzi said.
“We had a lot of feedback from our attendees saying they couldn’t believe the amount of traffic on the show floor, and that they were meeting a lot of new contacts they hadn’t previously seen at other shows,” he said. “Everyone kept talking about the excitement around the events and how they could feel the energy from all the attendees.”
Tommy Wilkins, director of sales for Grow Farms Texas, said Viva Fresh 2018 exceeded his expectations.
“In the 45 years that I’ve been doing these kinds of shows, this was the most outstanding and the most rewarding experience,” he said.
While the show rotated between Austin and San Antonio for the first four years, it’s staying put in San Antonio for the next couple of cycles. Next year’s show is scheduled for April 25-27 at the same venue.