United looks to boost value of its produce show
United looks to boost value of its produce show
WASHINGTON -- Attendees of the upcoming United Produce Show in Chicago will have new opportunities to network this year with the addition of a hospitality center on the trade show floor, a new daily Retail Executive Forum and new space to squeeze in more exhibitors.
While United's Produce Show has evolved by sharing its meeting with retailers at the Food Marketing Institute, the Fancy Foods Show, All Things Organic and the U.S. Food Export Showcase, it has left produce executives with too little time for formal networking throughout the supply chain.
"Too often we just seem to be running so fast to keep up with today's business that we don't slow down to talk with each other about future needs and opportunities," said United President Tom Stenzel.
United is hoping to change that at the May 6-9 meeting. New this year will be the Produce Show Hospitality Center located on the trade show floor that will host daily activities such as cooking demonstrations with celebrity chefs, happy hours and the newly announced Retail Executive Forum. There's also a foodservice event being planned followed by a special reception.
The Hospitality Center will kick off every morning with the Retail Executive Forum, an opportunity for top retail produce managers and exhibitors to share coffee and fruit, and hear speakers discuss topics important to retailers and suppliers.
"Both retail and produce leaders have told us repeatedly that they have little time for real dialogue with one another at most industry events," said United Chairman of the Board Nick Tompkins, who is chief executive officer of Apio Inc. "We plan to change that dynamic by kicking off each day on the trade show floor in Chicago with an invitation-only forum for our retail customers and exhibitors to talk about mutual issues affecting our business."
"The new Retail Executive Forum reflects United's serious commitment to our exhibitors to deliver real business value on the show floor," said Mr. Stenzel. Space is limited as United is expecting no more than 100 participants representing Produce Show exhibitors and invited guests for the morning sessions.
United also is expanding its Retail Produce Manager Award, which is sponsored by Ready Pac Produce. This year the number of managers recognized for their efforts will grow to 20 from 12, and United is offering free registration and travel expenses to Chicago to the produce directors and vice presidents from the winning chain-stores.
"The first-year support from supermarket executives to honor their front-line produce staff was simply remarkable," said Mr. Stenzel. "We're helping focus the entire supply chain on the importance of produce excellence at store level, and what a difference great employees powered by their management can make in store sales."
United opted to expand the prize because it was very difficult to narrow the field to only 12 top managers last year, said United's Amy Philpott.
Another change to this year's meeting is the added room for more exhibitors. Each year, the exhibition space has grown -- from 63,000 square feet in 2004 to 76,000 square feet this year. The group has managed to narrow the aisles and eliminate tram space to eke out more exhibit booths, said Ms. Philpott. So far, United has lined up 167 exhibitors for the May meeting, a higher return rate compared to this time last year, she said.
With the punch of combining the meetings, exhibitors can count on at least 16,000 attendees wondering the exhibit hall.
The so-called Power of Five -- United's Produce Show, Food Marketing Institute, the Fancy Foods Show, All Things Organic and the U.S. Food Export Showcase -- allows retailers to meet and walk the show floor to share business ideas, said Harris Teeter's Mark Hilton, who serves as United's convention committee co-chairman. For example, the merging of trade shows led his company to identify new organic dairy products, and it gives retailers quality time with exhibitors.
Meeting attendees will get one more opportunity to network before the May meeting. The group plans to unveil a Produce Show Blog starting in the next few weeks that will last throughout the meeting. United staff, exhibitors and others will be able to network before the meeting kicks off, another way United has planned to generate excitement about the trade show and share business interests.
While United's Produce Show has evolved by sharing its meeting with retailers at the Food Marketing Institute, the Fancy Foods Show, All Things Organic and the U.S. Food Export Showcase, it has left produce executives with too little time for formal networking throughout the supply chain.
"Too often we just seem to be running so fast to keep up with today's business that we don't slow down to talk with each other about future needs and opportunities," said United President Tom Stenzel.
United is hoping to change that at the May 6-9 meeting. New this year will be the Produce Show Hospitality Center located on the trade show floor that will host daily activities such as cooking demonstrations with celebrity chefs, happy hours and the newly announced Retail Executive Forum. There's also a foodservice event being planned followed by a special reception.
The Hospitality Center will kick off every morning with the Retail Executive Forum, an opportunity for top retail produce managers and exhibitors to share coffee and fruit, and hear speakers discuss topics important to retailers and suppliers.
"Both retail and produce leaders have told us repeatedly that they have little time for real dialogue with one another at most industry events," said United Chairman of the Board Nick Tompkins, who is chief executive officer of Apio Inc. "We plan to change that dynamic by kicking off each day on the trade show floor in Chicago with an invitation-only forum for our retail customers and exhibitors to talk about mutual issues affecting our business."
"The new Retail Executive Forum reflects United's serious commitment to our exhibitors to deliver real business value on the show floor," said Mr. Stenzel. Space is limited as United is expecting no more than 100 participants representing Produce Show exhibitors and invited guests for the morning sessions.
United also is expanding its Retail Produce Manager Award, which is sponsored by Ready Pac Produce. This year the number of managers recognized for their efforts will grow to 20 from 12, and United is offering free registration and travel expenses to Chicago to the produce directors and vice presidents from the winning chain-stores.
"The first-year support from supermarket executives to honor their front-line produce staff was simply remarkable," said Mr. Stenzel. "We're helping focus the entire supply chain on the importance of produce excellence at store level, and what a difference great employees powered by their management can make in store sales."
United opted to expand the prize because it was very difficult to narrow the field to only 12 top managers last year, said United's Amy Philpott.
Another change to this year's meeting is the added room for more exhibitors. Each year, the exhibition space has grown -- from 63,000 square feet in 2004 to 76,000 square feet this year. The group has managed to narrow the aisles and eliminate tram space to eke out more exhibit booths, said Ms. Philpott. So far, United has lined up 167 exhibitors for the May meeting, a higher return rate compared to this time last year, she said.
With the punch of combining the meetings, exhibitors can count on at least 16,000 attendees wondering the exhibit hall.
The so-called Power of Five -- United's Produce Show, Food Marketing Institute, the Fancy Foods Show, All Things Organic and the U.S. Food Export Showcase -- allows retailers to meet and walk the show floor to share business ideas, said Harris Teeter's Mark Hilton, who serves as United's convention committee co-chairman. For example, the merging of trade shows led his company to identify new organic dairy products, and it gives retailers quality time with exhibitors.
Meeting attendees will get one more opportunity to network before the May meeting. The group plans to unveil a Produce Show Blog starting in the next few weeks that will last throughout the meeting. United staff, exhibitors and others will be able to network before the meeting kicks off, another way United has planned to generate excitement about the trade show and share business interests.
