A call for growth set the tone at the recent Produce Marketing Association (PMA) 2011 Fresh Summit International Convention & Exposition. Held Oct. 14-17 in Atlanta, the PMA show debuted the organization's new branding and "Let's Grow" messaging at this year's annual U.S. produce pageant, where more than 18,000 industry professionals from 65-plus countries convened to connect with a global supply network.

As the produce industry faces the most "sophisticated and connected consumer the world has ever seen," Bryan Silbermann, PMA's president and CEO, affirmed that "now is the time to grow together" in his annual State of the Industry address. This new consumer, he continued, "exists in the real and virtual world around us." As a result, technology has become a powerful tool across the supply chain, from the farm to the end user.

Producers, retailers and every player in the produce supply chain can benefit by better understanding the new, wired consumer – who grew up in a digital age rather than learning technology later in life, explained Silbermann. To appeal to this demographic, we have to "market with the next generation, not to them," he asserted.

What are these next-generation shoppers and today's core consumers looking for from their food-buying experience? "Quality," said Silbermann, citing a recent survey that found quality was the No. 1 reason consumers say they purchase a particular product. Meanwhile, the same study found that retailers believe consumers are motivated by price above all else.

"We keep selling on price," said Silbermann. "Maybe we should work on our listening skills," he cautioned. By focusing on low prices, the produce business may be selling itself short, thwarting its significant growth potential by perpetuating a commodity industry rather than promoting a field of fresh food expertise.

Powerhouse Packaging
This year marked the fifth annual PMA Impact Awards recognizing excellence in packaging; entries were judged on a set of five criteria, with 28 finalists selected for final judging. Submissions earned points for excellence in marketing, food safety, supply chain efficiency/functionality, sustainability and consumer convenience.

Five companies were honored with the award during the Fresh Summit. Among them was Salinas, Calif.-based Naturipe Farms, which took home the top prize for its Berry Quick Snacks. Washed and ready to eat, these blueberries are packaged as three-in-one single-serve trays. The rigid pack design prevents crushing of the berries, while making them an easy grab-and-go snack for kids.

Clear Lam Packaging of Elk Grove Village, Ill., unveiled a trio of new packaging concepts, including its Peel and ReSeal technology that eliminates the need for rigid lids and shrink bands to ensure tamper resistance. Designed to provide maximum product visibility and easy-open and -close operation, a butternut squash product from Guadelupe, Calif.-based Apio, packaged in the new Clear Lam Peel and ReSeal, was also an Impact award winner.

While not every exhibitor took home top honors, many displayed winning packaging ideas. Dole Fresh Fruit Co. of Westlake Village, Calif., featured its 2-pack of bananas in modified-atmosphere bags that keep the product fresher longer, all naturally. Each bag in the 2-pack contains four to five bananas at a suggested retail price of $2.25 for the pair. Consumers can open one pack immediately, while additional bananas remain fresh in the second, unopened bag.

For the first time in 20 years, Village Farms, based in Eatontown, N.J., has rebranded its image to better communicate its commitment to sustainability, quality, safety, technology, taste and community. The new logo and packaging, unveiled at the show, feature colorful logos and a farming-community feel.

Spectrum Bags Inc. of Frisco, Texas, presented its new patented retail bags that allow produce shoppers to pull pre-opened bags straight from a pouch dispenser. The dispenser pouches can be custom-printed. Four pouches, each containing 500 bags, can be held on a specially designed rack for use in the produce department and beyond.