The annual New York Produce Show and Conference (NYPS) opened Dec.10-12 2024, with Where PASSION BECOMES ACTION as the overall theme.
The show had a record audience of more than 5,000 executives attending the one-day trade show and three co-located events.
There were close to 350-plus exhibiting companies and a record of 41 sponsors. The New York Produce Show is organized by Produce Business and the Eastern Produce Council.
“Feeling grateful and showing our gratitude can be our choice as we endeavor to change forever how we experience the challenges and blessings presented by our vibrant and vital produce industry,” says Ken Whitacre, chief executive/publisher, Produce Business.
The conference opened Tuesday with the Global Trade Symposium at the Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel.
The symposium provided an intensive look into global trade from the perspective of produce moving in Routes of Success.
The critical strategies and roadmaps importers use to bring the freshest, highest quality produce into the U.S. and Canada from every corner of the globe.
Some of the topics included; The Global scope of the U.S. Produce industry, importing from Mexico leveraging the most valuable Partnership, importing from Central America, importing from Europe, North America and South Africa: Leveraging the seasons and Transportation and Logistics, The dynamics of shipping and delivery.
Some of the Speakers for the Global Trade Symposium included: Ron Lemaire, President, Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA), John Pandol, director of Special projects, Pandol Bros, Andres Ocampo, CEO, HLB Specialties, Robert Schueller, Director of Public Relations, Melissa’s, Alejandro Moralejo, CEO Salix fruits, Peng Liu, President Orchard direct and many more.
Rising Star Reception 40 under 40, young and brilliant minds involved in the produce business were honored, during this VIP and only invite reception.
Opening Cocktail reception took place, on the opening day, with who is who? of produce business in attendance, networking, enjoying drinks and good food.
The Next day Dec 11th 2024, we are at New York Javits Center, welcoming remarks by Susan McAleavey Sarlund, Executive Director, Eastern Produce Council, and Co- Organizer of the Show Alongside Produce Business.
Next up Remarks by Theresa Lowden, President, Eastern Produce Council, (EPC), Executive Vice President Produce and Floral JOH. Also Presented Produce Business innovation awards, as well as The Joe Nucci Award, Consumption Awards Recognition.
National Anthem was performed by Harlem School of the Arts. Keynote speaker was Matthew Luhn, Former creative lead, Disney/Pixar (Monsters Inc., Cars, Toy Story), Mr. Luhn’s Speech was one of the best speeches I heard for a long time, you can listen partially to it by clicking link below.
The Ribbon Cutting took place just before the Show floor opened up, with VIP people in attendance from the produce world, cutting the ribbon and officially opening the show floor.
Consumer Media and Influencers Explore Health, Consumption at NYPS Media Lunch, A select group of 65 consumer media and influencers discussed and debated health trends, produce prescriptions and how to increase produce consumption to affect health during a private luncheon and presentation held during the New York Produce Show on December11, 2024.
Attending the event were top journalists which included our Chief Editor, Dr Adal Muneer, For World Liberty TV, Food Channels and dieticians from cooking magazines, social media, radio programs, news services and television as well as retail store dieticians.
Stefanie Katzman of wholesaler S. Katzman Produce welcomed the group, talking about the role of Hunts Point Market as well as the importance of increasing produce consumption.
Main speaker Marion Nestle, the Paulette Goddard Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health, Emerita, at New York University, presented a provocative message looking at produce prescriptions and the politics of dietary choice and influencing consumption.
“We must address the politics of produce in America, from production to consumption, and argue for policy changes to make a positive difference in produce intake and population health,” said Nestle. “We need to rebalance the discussion.”
Attendees discussed the practical aspects of how to integrate more produce into diets with
Katie Calligaro, director marketing and communications at The Foundation for Fresh
Produce. “Plant-passionate communicators can help improve health through encouraging readers and shoppers to incorporate more fruits and vegetables,” she said. “We know nine out of ten Americans are not eating enough fruits and vegetables.
We want to help our communicators have access to the best information so they can deliver consistent, positive and inspirational content directly to consumers as we work together to improve consumption. This group is imperative to meeting consumers where they are.”
For a hands-on component, Robert Schueller of Melissa’s showcased unique specialty produce items and discussed Melissa’s top 20 trending specialty items for 2025 including top five: dutch yellow potatoes, ginger, baby red potatoes, steamed lentils and steamed red beets. “Reasons driving these trends are color, convenience, cross-cultural, organic, and plant based,” he says. “But, overall it still comes down to flavor.”
Attendees were treated to a fun, guided tasting of uncommon produce flavors by culinary expert Jill Overdorf of the Produce Ambassador. Additionally, event co-sponsor Thx!
Dreams, discussed its socially conscious program that partners with produce brands to provide authentic connections between shoppers and farmworkers. The initiative works to help farmworkers achieve their personal dreams.
See much more about New York Produce Show 2024, in our World Liberty TV, Food Channels by clicking here.
The 14th annual New York Produce Show and Conference (NYPS) opened Dec. 5, with GRATITUDE as the overall theme. The show had a record audience of more than 5,000 executives attending the one-day trade show and three co-located events.
There were 350-plus exhibiting companies and a record of 41 sponsors. The New York Produce Show is organized by Produce Business and the Eastern Produce Council.
“Feeling grateful and showing our gratitude can be our choice as we endeavor to change forever how we experience the challenges and blessings presented by our vibrant and vital produce industry,” says Ken Whitacre, chief executive/publisher, Produce Business.
The conference opened Tuesday with the Global Trade Symposium at the Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel.
The symposium provided an intensive look into global trade from the perspective of produce moving in and out of the East Coast via land and sea.
Session topics included global trends; export and import challenges and opportunities; land port updates; and updates on avocados, citrus, grapes and mangos.
Mark your calendar for next year’s New York Produce Show and Conference: Dec. 10–12, 2024.
Connect with Fresh Media and Influencer Lunch at the New York Produce Show, Wednesday, December 6 at 11am at the Javits Center in New York City.
This complimentary lunch and program is a lunch workshop for qualified media only, including influential business journalists, writers, registered dietitians, lifestyle bloggers, and food and culinary experts.
Speaker’s Included: Dan Parker from Veg Power to talk about consumption promotion. Veg Power is a not-for-profit alliance of government, business, community and celebrities founded to turn around vegetable consumption in the UK. It uses advertising and communications to inspire kids to eat vegetables and create life-long good food habits that they will, in turn, share with their children. Their multi-award winning “Eat Them to Defeat Them” program has millions of children eating more vegetables.
Presenter Envy Apples and Chef Abbie Gellman, who shared some delicious flavors and recipes.
Live healthy Cooking demonstrations took place at the luncheon, close to 50 media from the culinary world were in attendance, enjoying speakers, cooking demonstrations, while enjoying lunch same time.
See more of the Lunch speakers in our World Liberty TV, Food Review channels by clicking here.
We want to thank Jodean Robbins Duarte, Coordinator, NYPS Consumer Media and Influencer Lunch Contributing Editor, Produce Business magazine, for inviting us annually.
It was our 14th Appearance covering the 14th annual New York Produce Show and Conference NYC-2023, it always gets bigger and better every year. We want to give Condolences to the family of Mrs. Santos, the late Marianne Santo, three-time president of Eastern Produce Council and senior category manager of produce and floral at Wakefern Food Corp., was honored with a video tribute, who passed away earlier this year.
I truly enjoyed meeting Mrs. Santos annually for the past five years, a wonderful warm kind loving personality, made you feel special when she spoke to you. You will be deeply missed but never forgotten RIP.
See more in about 14th annual New York Produce Show and Conference NYC-2023, in our World Liberty TV, Food Channels by clicking here.
National Action Network’s annual convention will take place April 3-6 at the Times Square Sheraton in New York City. It will provide an opportunity to revisit the current state of the national civil rights movement in America.
No Justice, No Peace: National Action Network is one of the leading civil rights organizations in the Nation with chapters throughout the entire United States. Founded in 1991 by Reverend Al Sharpton, NAN works within the spirit and tradition of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to promote a modern civil rights agenda that includes the fight for one standard of justice, decency and equal opportunities for all people regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, citizenship, criminal record, economic status, gender, gender expression, or sexuality.
Criminal Justice Reform: The right to equal justice under the law should not be conditional or based upon a person’s color or economic status. Over the last two decades NAN has been in the vanguard of the movement to bring such equality to every community that has been unfairly treated.
There were Women’s Luncheon’s, Ministers Luncheons, fashion Shows, Gospel concerts and much more.
We at World Liberty TV , made our 7th Appearance at the National Action Network’s Conference and have to say it gets bigger and better every year, see more about National Action Network’s Conference in our World Liberty TV African-American Channels and Blogs by Clicking here.
The Wall Street Project was founded in 1996 by Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr., and the Citizenship Education Fund; it was officially launched by Rev. Jesse Jackson and prominent minority business owners on January 15, 1997, Dr. Martin Luther King’s birthday.
The Wall Street Project challenges Corporate America to end the multi-billion dollar trade deficit with minority vendors and consumers, while working to ensure equal opportunities for culturally diverse employees, entrepreneurs and consumers.
“The Wall Street Project is not an end in itself,” says Rev. Jackson, “nor a means to an end. It is an evolutionary process by which we view people of color and women as ‘value added’ and a mutually beneficial proposition to American business.
“The road to shared economic security travels through two-way trade, where all are included, and none are left in the margins of the marketplace. Industry by industry, the quantifiable gaps in opportunity and in access to capital for people of color-owned businesses define our agenda.
“Just as America did not realize how good professional sports could be until athletes of all colors could play, American business will not maximize its growth potential until all businesses have an equal opportunity to compete on an even playing field, where the rules are public and the goals are clear.
That is the goal of the Wall Street Project.” The Wall Street Project uses Operation Breadbasket’s model of research, education, negotiation, and reconciliation to achieve its mission to promote inclusion, opportunity and economic growth by encouraging public and private industries.
See Wall St Push Project , Rainbow Push Coalition NYC-2018 in our World Liberty TV African-American Channels by Clicking here.
