Thursday, June 9, 2022
Golf Tournament at Fox Run Golf Links
Sign yourself up or recruit some teammates to play, relax and network. This is the perfect way to invest in developing the business relationships that can benefit your company. This year's inaugural tournament will be held at the Fox Run Golf Links course in Elk Grove Village, IL, rain or shine.
Registration Open
Welcome Reception
Friday, June 10, 2022
Registration and Continental Breakfast
General Session: Fresh Perspectives on Produce Growth
Join Joe Watson of the International Fresh Produce Association and Anne-Marie Roerink of 210 Analytics for a lively session offering fresh perspectives on the biggest trends fueling produce sales today. They will take a look at the department’s performance during the first half of 2022 and help you find pockets of growth as we go up against two of the biggest years in produce retailing combined with the highest levels of inflation seen in more than 40 years. Will fresh produce e-commerce offer growth opportunities and how? Aren’t we the original plant-based diet and how do we take back that narrative? How do we satisfy the impatient consumer? The session is sure to include lots of practical takeaways as well as share best-in-class pictures from around the world, consumer insights and market performance data.

Anne-Marie Roerink
Principal and Founder
210 Analytics

Joe Watson
VP of Retail, Foodservice & Wholesale
International Fresh Produce Association
Coffee Break and Networking
Breakout Sessions
These sessions are designed for you to help determine the desired future of retail. You will work together to reflect on current challenges and obstacles, brainstorm the ideal situation for retailers/consumers/suppliers, and determine the top ideas you think will help achieve your future. Discussions will focus on:
- Non-store-based Models
Innovative, non-store-based models directly selling fresh fruit and vegetables to consumers, including Amazon’s work with their new underserved populations division, Kroger’s Ocado, farmers’ markets, CSA, Hello Fresh, smoothie kit boxes, fruit boxes, and local produce boxes. - Combatting Pressure on Unit & Volume Sales
Understanding the competition from frozen and canned, how to create a customer experience (eye-catching displays with an eye on labor), cross-merchandising, secondary displays, and better utilization of social media to sell more produce. - Satisfying the Impatient Consumer
Ease of planning, shopping, preparation, and cleanup. Self-checkout, walkout checkout, online purchasing and other new checkout technologies and the effects on fresh produce. - The Original Plant-based Diet
The original plant-based diet. Fresh produce’s role in Health & Wellness trends, specific nutritional benefits, and personalized medicine – tying into Retail Dietitians, pharmacy and online health resources. - Tackling Operational Challenges
Overcoming pressured profit margins (inflation, costs, etc.), opportunities in packaging, shrink management, inventory optimization, receiving practices, diversifying procurement strategy, and transportation challenges – including air, land, and ocean freight. - Sustainability & Social Responsibility
Pushing forward with sustainability efforts; community programs; SNAP, WIC and other government program opportunities to increase fresh fruit and vegetable sales, with a special focus on online programs; local sourcing; collaborating with new companies.
Networking Brunch
Breakout Sessions
These sessions are designed for you to help determine the desired future of retail. You will work together to reflect on current challenges and obstacles, brainstorm the ideal situation for retailers/consumers/suppliers, and determine the top ideas you think will help achieve your future. Discussions will focus on:
- Non-store-based Models
- Combatting Pressure on Unit & Volume Sales
- Satisfying the Impatient Consumer
- The Original Plant-based Diet
- Tackling Operational Challenges
- Sustainability & Social Responsibility
Break
Panel Discussion: Hear from the Retailers
Joe Watson leads a discussion about what the Fresh Perspectives on Produce Growth presentation from this morning means to the industry, key takeaways from the conference, and the panel will take questions from the audience.
Panelists include:

Meghan Diaz
Senior Category Manager - East Coast Sourcing
Sprouts Farmers Market

Mimmo Franzone
Vice President - Merchandising
Longo Brothers Fruit Markets

Chris Romano
Vice President of Produce, Floral and Gift
The Fresh Market
Wrap-up and closing