United Fresh Presents Produce Short Courses

What: Short Courses on Retail Marketing, Foodservice Marketing and Food Safety for Non-Experts

When: Saturday, May 5, 1-5 p.m.

Where: Columbus Hall conference area, Hyatt Regency Chicago

CHICAGO — New this year, three concurrent Produce Short Courses focusing on retail marketing, food-service marketing and food safety will be offered during the United Fresh Marketplace Show on May 5.

“At the Fresh Marketplace Show, the produce industry comes together with its customer partners, so this is the perfect opportunity to address issues that cross the supplier-buyer lines, such as retail and food-service marketing and food safety,” explained Amy Philpott, vice president of marketing and industry relations for United Fresh.

Divided into three separate sessions, the Retail Marketing Short Course begins with a session on global fresh food trends impacting the produce industry, where researchers will share a global and national perspective. Channel blurring and the implications for produce suppliers will be explored by speakers including Maria Caranfa, analyst at Chicago-based Mintel International; Todd Hale, senior vice president of New York-based ACNielsen Co.; and A. Elizabeth Sloan, president, San Diego-based Sloan Trends Inc.

The second retail session, “Tapping the Organic Opportunity in Conventional Supermarkets,” will reveal results from a national study about the differences between consumers shopping for organic produce in natural food stores versus consumers shopping for organic in conventional retail supermarkets. Panelists will address these differences, in addition to how suppliers are working with retail partners to successfully supply both markets.

The third retail component is a workshop where winners of the 2007 United Fresh Retail Produce Manager Award will share what they have learned about customer behavior in their retail produce departments.

The Retail Marketing Short Course was developed in partnership with the W. Dundee, Ill.-based Perishables Group and will be facilitated by Bruce Axtman and Steve Lutz of the Perishables Group.

The Foodservice Marketing Short Course will take a look at the latest produce trends in food service, beginning with a session on how produce suppliers and distributors can explore new market niches and produce strategies together with food-service executives and distributors. A breakout session follows, giving attendees the opportunity to speak with these executives about becoming a more effective supplier or distributor to the food-service market.

Food Safety 101, designed for non-technical industry professionals, covers the basics of produce safety, what happens when a foodborne illness outbreak occurs and how produce safety is regulated by the government and the industry.

The course will open with a presentation by David Gombas, vice president of scientific and technical affairs, United Fresh Produce Association. Part two will focus on traceability: what happens after an outbreak occurs — from identifying the source of contamination, to finding the root cause, to preventing future outbreaks. The course will conclude with a session on food law and regulations.