Hort Connections Tradeshow: The Inside Scoop

Author: Kate Cook

This was the 3rd year that Hort Connections was hosted through the combined efforts of both PMA Australia- New Zealand Limited (PMA-ANZ) and AUSVEG, and the Melbourne Market was right in the thick of things through wholesaler displays in the FMA/CMAA booth which had the largest presence on the tradeshow floor.

This year was the first time the PMA-ANZ and AUSVEG combined conference has been held in Melbourne, and the Melbourne Market wholesalers showed up in force to put on a great demonstration of the produce available in Victoria. As a result of Fresh Markets Australia (FMA) and the Central Markets Association of Australia (CMAA) coming together to sponsor the tradeshow, our Melbourne Market wholesalers had a prime position through the FMA/ CMAA tradeshow area which was located directly within the tradeshow entrance.

At the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, delegates were greeted by a great range of varieties from those exhibiting in our section of the tradeshow — there was tropical fruit, a great variety of vegetables, your classic produce staples, and even a stunning floral display. With so many things to see, our wholesalers received a great reception from those attending the tradeshow and it was very clear that the FMA/CMAA area was the place to be. A special mention has to go to the displays of Arcella Bananas, who delighted the delegates by giving out their famous Tropicana Bananas to help fuel delegates through their long days, and Robinsons Fresh Solutions, who took their stand to the next level by making it an interactive area full of information about their different services that also featured a wheel that could be spun to win prizes.

There was a lot happening on the tradeshow floor this year, some of the more inventive attractions being the produce innovations such as cauliflower lattes and papaya cocktails served up by Hort Innovation, a rainbow art piece by Rjik Zwaan that developed over the conference, and a cornhole competition run by Corteva Argiscience. With just under 3,500 delegates over the 3 days, and 330 stands exhibiting within the tradeshow, there was always something new to see and learn on the tradeshow floor in 2019.

For those who missed out on exhibiting in this year’s tradeshow don’t worry, it is sure to return to our city in coming years and as this conference grows so will the opportunities available to your business. There were a few companies who assisted Fresh State the organisation of this event and we would like to thank Tailored Freight for organising the transport of produce to the tradeshow, Perfection Fresh who allowed us to use their warehouse for storage, and CHEP who provided us with bins and crates that created the structure for our wholesaler’s displays. We would also like to thank all of our exhibitors for their contributions — thank you to Halit Flowers, Fresh Cut Processors, Granieri’s Fresh Produce, Ferrinda Fresh, Produce of Virginia, Farmers Fresh Produce, Gazzola Farms, Just Onions, Organic Growers Group, Corrigans Produce Farms, Barkers Fresh Produce, Arcella Bananas, Robinsons Fresh Solutions, and Produce Time.