The Canadian Produce Marketing Association's annual convention and trade show returns to Vancouver, British Columbia, April 23-25 at the Vancouver Convention Centre. Since the pandemic, the association's annual event has reinforced the need for in-person events, says CPMA President Ron Lemaire.
“From Montreal to Vancouver to Toronto, our last two shows post-pandemic, we broke records on attendance and participation in our show,” he said. “We are on the same trend for Vancouver. It is personal engagement that really drives face-to-face interactions, redevelopment of relationships, engagement of new relationships and building of the community.”
Lemaire says these personal engagements are critical to the produce industry in Canada, which relies on wholesalers and importers for year-round supplies of major categories of produce. So, CPMA's annual event is a way to remind importers of the potential for global trade in Canada.
“You can't succeed in Canada without selling imported produce,” Lemaire said. “We don't grow bananas. We don't grow mangoes. We don't grow avocados. The consumers are demanding those. So, we keep telling the global market ‘Don't forget Canada.'”
He says the event helps global importers from South American countries, such as Columbia and Peru, see the opportunities in Canada's domestic market.
What's new
Lemaire says the CPMA show and conference schedule past attendees are familiar with has remained relatively unchanged this year. The association did add two business sessions on April 24 that focus on sustainability and artificial intelligence. He says both topics are important for the industry to discuss and understand.
“[For the AI business session,] it's the practical application of AI in your day-to-day life and trying to give the industry that scope relative to what it is,” Lemaire said. “Because of the diversity of business within the supply chain, it's giving everyone an opportunity to understand how they engage.”
Lemaire says CPMA planned these business sessions between the main sessions so any registered attendee or exhibitor can attend and not miss out on the trade show or other programming.
In addition to a sustainability theme at the annual event, CPMA, the International Federation for Produce Standards and the Global Coalition of Fresh Produce will host the International Sustainability Summit on April 26, following CPMA's annual event.
Pictured is the show floor at CPMA's 2023 trade show. (Photo: Jennifer Strailey)
Other points of interest
Lemaire says CPMA's retail tour on April 23 is another not-to-miss event. The tour will take attendees to locations throughout Vancouver, highlighting the changing retail space. Within the last year and a half, there has been a noticeable shift as consumers look to discount purchases, however, there is still a demand among consumers for high-quality produce at these discount retailers.
“What's really interesting in Canada is the consumer market is driven by quality requirements — throughout discount right to specialty stores,” Lemaire said. “It's not the old game of, you know what, you can sell your seconds into discount. The consumer now in Canada is going in a discount looking for [not only] value, but [also] looking for quality. And that is a shift in the last year and a half. Seeing the retail outlets and how they are meeting changing consumer demands in Vancouver, which has a very culturally diverse market, is important.”
And for those who can't make the retail tour, CPMA also created a self-guided walking tour of 10 retail locations in the city.
There's also half-hour learning lounges planned for April 24-25. These range in topics including foodservice, the Food Safety Modernization Act 204 Food Traceability Rule in the U.S. and Canada's Safe Food for Canadians Regulations addressing traceability, women in produce, emerging leaders in produce, produce transportation and consumers' perspectives on buying produce.
Opportunities for connection
For those new to CPMA, Lemaire says it's important to participate in the networking events such as the breakfasts, the lunches and the young professionals' and women's networking receptions, which are ways to make connections in the fresh produce industry.
“Even though we fight like dogs to compete, at the end of the day you could be buying lines from a competitor to make sure you're meeting your market demands and vice versa,” he said. “That's what makes this business special, but also, that's what makes this event so important.”
And don't miss the after-party on April 24 at the Fairmont Waterfront.
“We set it up for a reason,” Lemaire said. “That after-party brings out everyone and gives anyone that doesn't necessarily have dinner plans on Wednesday night an opportunity to connect with the industry. And that's what it's all about. It sounds like a party, but really, it's some of the best networking anyone can ever have.”
CPMA's Passion for Produce is another way the organization seeks to foster the next generation of fresh produce industry leaders, Lemaire says. Each Passion for Produce young professional will experience the show with a mentor, something he says was important to his own professional development.
“That program is a real good demonstration of engaging current talent, enabling them, showing them what the market has to offer to retain and what the path of success is for them,” he says.
Looking to the future
Lemaire says Vancouver is a great example of CPMA's approach to its annual event.
“I think what we're doing significantly differently, what we're improving upon, is ensuring that we bring the regionality of western Canada to the event with the scope of national and international flavor that is important to connect everyone,” he said. “As the national program in Canada, it's unique. It has that regional flair with a national/international vibe.”
Lemaire says CPMA is already looking to next year's event, set for April 8-10, 2025, in Montreal.
“We'll be coming out of our final banquet [in Vancouver this year], getting ready to celebrate 100 years as an association representing the industry in 2025,” he said. “We really want to make sure we highlight and showcase the companies — they may be only in existence 10 years, some over 100 years — really showing what makes this produce industry successful.”