PMA Fresh Summit 2009 logo

The Produce Marketing Association (PMA) has called for the fresh produce industry to combat the challenging economy by developing new strategies and connections at the 2009 Fresh Summit International Convention and Exposition, which gets underway in Anaheim, US tomorrow (2 October).

The four-day event, which is the largest US gathering for the global fresh fruit, vegetable and floral industries, annually draws over 17,000 visitors from over 50 countries worldwide.

'As the US, European and many other economies remain in the grip of a lingering recession, we realize that conventions and trade shows like ours become that much more important because they serve as venues for our visitors to market their businesses and hone their skills, as well as providing a friendly place to gather with other members of the industry and stay up-to-date with so many of the forces driving the produce trade,' PMA president and CEO Bryan Silbermann told Fruitnet.com.

Taking place at the Anaheim Convention Center, the PMA Fresh Summit 2009, which features both a trade show and conference event, expects to draw a larger crowd than last year's gathering in Florida, with some 800 exhibitors confirmed so far to showcase their wares across 642,600ft2 of exhibition space.

'What sets the PMA Fresh Summit apart from other produce conventions and expos is that we highlight so much more than just the trade of fresh produce,' Mr Silbermann added. 'Fresh Summit is as much about the trade in ideas, best practices and relationships as it is about the trade in the products we buy and sell every day.'

See the October/November issue of Americafruit Magazine for a full preview of the PMA Fresh Summit 2009 and profiles of some of this year's key exhibitors, and visit us at the event at stand 1524